#but andor has me in a choke hold

[grakkul]

I’ve been listening to like 7 different video essays at work each day and I feel insane, wowow cinema

I’m also too close to reading Star Wars fanfic for someone who has only seen like 2 movies on middle school field trips. This can’t be it, I can’t betray my bestest friend and Ben obi wan like that for an andor and a rouge one video essay to do me in.

I have not gotten sick of them at all and I fear I require new ones each coming day

I am becoming more powerful

[echinocereus]

Andor: An Analysis (aka AAA)

Andor (2022-), a Star Wars show based around Cassian Andor, a rebel who appeared in the movie Rogue One (2016),  has taken my mind by storm, leaving me with too many thoughts to keep without documenting. This will be my best attempt at a comprehensive analysis of Andor (7450 words), there will be spoilers, and likely some edits. And a quick disclaimer, no, these are not all original ideas, I am writing this as a combination of both my own brain and the brains of tumblr.

To begin, Andor, in my opinion, is not just a good Star Wars show, but a good show in general. The characters are well written, the pacing is well-executed, and it makes a clear argument. What truly satisfied me about Andor was the fact that it brought politics back to Star Wars. After the sequels (which didn’t happen, okay, they’re not canon, they didn’t happen, I think we as a society should just erase it from our memories), the shows Disney was putting out were decent, but despite the lore being entrenched in politics and political allegories, somehow managed to not really be political. Kenobi follows what happened to Obi-Wan, but doesn’t explore the early growth of the Empire. Boba Fett gave us what could’ve been a cool story of a power vacuum in a criminal underworld, if it was executed properly. It mostly fell flat and was all seemingly surface level thoughts. The Mandalorian was a compelling story about the importance of family, but something of a missed opportunity in The Mandalorian is the exploration of the consequences of a rebellion. Andor says “screw all that, Star Wars is political” and brings in everything the Star Wars canon gives us. According to the creator of Andor, Tony Gilroy, it’s allegedly “not supposed to be political.” Now whether this means that Andor was a fluke or if he said that simply to avoid being under fire from unhappy fans is a mystery (I personally think it’s the latter since… well you’ll see). 

Cassian Andor:

To begin, Cassian Andor. The focus of the show and the central character. Even though he is the main character and the show’s namesake, he never makes an attempt to make himself the center of attention. Time after time we see Andor hand off the spotlight of rallying people together (Kino in the prison, Maarva’s speech, Brasso leading the charge against the Empire). His main purpose is being a spy: this is how he is introduced in Rogue One and we see that that aspect of his character is true and constant (@kanansdume on tumblr). 

Cassian’s character arc has been of some discourse among some Star Wars fans. Some say that him starting off dismissive of the rebellion like Jyn is in Rogue One undermines his line in which he says he has been fighting for the rebellion since he was 6 years old. However, I disagree. I think Cassian’s character development makes his statement in the movie all the more meaningful. I will come back to this at the end of this section, but first I need to explain what this character journey was. 

“I think it’s all useless…It’s better to live. Better to eat, sleep, do what you want. You don’t know me. I fought in Mimban when I was 16.” - Episode 4, Cassian to Luthen. This quote shows Cassian in the beginning of the series, jaded by the Empire that he sees no purpose in fighting. He is self-centered and for good reason: all he’s ever known is struggle, all he is ever trying to do is survive. He is disillusioned by the fact that he feels as though he does not have any effect on the Empire at all. Even when he eventually does agree to work for the Rebel Alliance, he is working as Luthen’s mercenary. 

However during that heist, he witnesses the deaths of more than half the team. He still takes the money and leaves with his cut, but he kills Skeen. Skeen who seemingly has a very similar ideology to Cass. Skeen says that his rebellion is himself against the world, that he’s not one who has taste for the actual Rebel Alliance. From what we see in Episode 6, Cassian is the same way, so why does he kill Skeen? I think Cassian got spooked from how much he saw himself in Skeen. He saw the danger that Skeen proposed, realized this and ran from it because he didn’t quite know how to deal with it. But these little moments are so important to his overall development because they help explain the switch and changes in his character. 

So he goes back home and meets back up with his family to check back in. To his disappointment, Maarva says that she is not going with Cassian (something that will be further discussed in the Maarva section down below). He doesn’t understand this and voices his concerns but still he walks away without Maarva; he should not be judged for doing so, Maarva certainly doesn’t. He tells Maarva that he’ll be back, which becomes somewhat of a catchphrase. Cassian starts to establish that if there is someone his family and friends can rely on, it is himself.  Cassian has been looking for a vacation, a break from a war he never chose to enlist in since he was a child. He finally gets this opportunity and he seizes it, but the tragedy of his story is that the Rebellion is not something he could choose to escape, the reality of his situation of experiences is that he does not have the privilege to step away. He gets caught in a charge that has nothing to do with him, is imprisoned with a ridiculously long sentence, and he is not allowed to protest. 

Cassian gets shipped off to Narkina 5, a planet where the Empire has decided to keep some of its prisons. The prison he is sent to is a manufacturing one, later revealed to be building the Death Star (significance of this is discussed below). There the prisoners are forced to be barefoot, for the prison exerts control on its inmates with electrocution through the floor. The guards all have boots on to protect them from this, but they force all inmates to give up all of their shoes. I mention this because it adds to the futility of Cassian’s predicament. The significance to Narkina 5 and the prison arc as a whole will be discussed in greater depth later since there is a lot more to these three episodes (Episodes 7-9). The most important thing for now is that it is in this prison where we see the distinct turnaround of his mentality when it comes to fighting the empire. “I’d rather die trying to take them down, than die giving them what they want.” - Cassian to Kino, Episode 10. Here Cassian finally understands what Maarva was getting at when she refused to leave with him, what Luthen was trying to explain to him, what Nemik died for. This sentence is the thesis of Cassian Andor’s story, something we see even through Rogue One. Ultimately, Cassian dies for something he will never see come into fruition, and we see here how he gets to that point of faith. 

At the very end of the series, Cassian once again sets up everyone for success, leaving to deal with his own loose ends. As he is leaving, Bix reminds everyone that Cassian will come back and he reaffirms this. At this point of the story, Cassian is no longer a nuisance, but someone that the people of Ferrix can safely rely on to protect them. That, ultimately, no matter what happens to them, Cassian will find a way. This is Cassian’s M.O. He works in the shadows, he is there for Bix when she needs him, he makes sure everyone is set up to do what they need to do, and he makes sure everyone has enough information and resources to reach their destinations and goals. Cassian is a representation of the truest friend. 

Now to connect back to earlier about how this works for his story in Rogue One. Cassian has been fighting against the Empire since he was 6 years old, he just hadn’t realized it yet. That was what this show was for, we see him go through the process of realizing that the rebellion was something he was born into. In Rogue One, Cassian is a zealot, willing to do anything for the rebellion. We now know why. He’s lost so much to this cause, he’s lost so much because of the Empire. Jyn, on the other hand, is nearly apathetic. She doesn’t understand his passion. Just like Cassian didn’t understand the passion of Nemik or Maarva. I think in order for Cassian to understand and connect to Jyn he had to go through the same process of finding his belief as before. His radicalization is so important because politically, he was already radicalized, it was his faith in himself and humanity that he needed to learn. 

Brasso:

Brasso is the man in the background, a constant, a pillar of the community and a man the characters can consistently rely on. Brasso is the role-model for Cassian. From the beginning he is to his people what Cassian becomes: a man of reliability. Cassian comes to him in the first episode to use him as a cover story, an alibi. We never see Brasso need to do it, but we know that he would cover for Cassian in an instant. When Cassian is away, it is Brasso (and Bix) we see taking care of Maarva. When the Imperial officers zero-in on Bix, even then Brasso risks himself to urge Bix into action, to run. When Maarva dies, we see Brasso handling her funeral, making sure everything is running smoothly. When all the others don’t know how to comfort Bee, it is Brasso who’s there for the droid, being patient with Maarva’s grieving friend. Brasso is the one to lead the fight against the Imperial soldiers in Episode 12. 

There are dynamic characters and static characters, and I would argue that Brasso is a static character. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing—if done right, there is a place for static characters like Brasso. In Brasso we see the good of the world, we see that not everyone is bad, not everyone is corrupt. In Brasso we see strength in the devotion and loyalty towards family and friends, the power that small acts of rebellion can have. 

Brasso never does something completely outright aggressive until the time is exactly right, he waits for Maarva’s go to attack, but it’s his small actions that no one really sees that I think have the most meaning. He is the one to tamper with the ship in the first arc, that small bit of tampering sent home the message to the Corporate soldiers— never underestimate the power of community.

Luthen:

A man living two lives, one as a rebel and another as an eccentric shop-keep, Luthen is forced to make the difficult decisions. He is the one forced to call a hit on Cassian (at this point of the story, for all Luthen knew, Cassian could very easily take the vital Rebel information he had to the Empire, jeopardizing the movement). Luthen makes the decision to allow a group of rebels to die in order to protect the insider that he had within the ISB ( basically the Star Wars version of the CIA, further discussion of this provided below in the U.S. Government section).  Luthen is such a vital character for the Rebel Alliance, while I just discussed how Cassian plays puppet master and makes things happen, Luthen does just that on a much larger scale. 

Luthen doesn’t try to be palatable for the more moderate. When Mothma comes to him upset about Aldhani, he doesn’t flinch. When Lonni comes to Luthen, one of the first things he does is mention his daughter to him. The thing about Luthen is that if we didn’t know for a fact that he was on the good side or see any of his intentions, he could be an antagonist. His ways are not the cleanest, but he knows this. This is what he talks about for his sacrifice: in probably one of the best monologues of the show, Luthen explains how he has sacrificed everything from his potential happiness to his morals for the rebellion. He knows how far he’s gone and what that means for him, but we also know that if it’s not Luthen, then it’ll be someone else making those difficult decisions and living with the guilt. Andor doesn’t have morally gray villains, but it does have morally gray protagonists. Luthen and his operation is a prime example of that. Andor shows that, as aptly put by @captjynandor on tumblr, “when you live in a world where existing incorrectly can get you killed, sometimes you have to make the bad choice to survive.” We see this with Cassian, some of his first scenes showing him killing two Pre-Mor employees in order to survive. We see this most strongly with Luthen’s plan at Aldhani, his motivation to kill Cassian, and how he treats Lonni - objectively seen as immoral, but with a glimpse of the bigger picture, we see that it’s necessary. 

For all that makes Luthen great, some argue that one of his greatest flaws is thinking similar to the Empire. Meaning, he tends to look over the smaller people. He only looks for people that have larger personalities, like Mothma or Cassian. The realization of his flaw hit him during Episode 12 when he saw that simply the speech of an old woman brought down the strength of an entire town. He saw that the little people can make so much of the difference and saw the power of community. However, there is a different viewpoint on this scene provided by @kanansdume on tumblr. Luthen knows what he’s doing, he knows that what he does on Aldhani will anger the Empire, he knows that the Empire will cause more people to suffer, and he knows that means more people will be angry. He says this explicitly. What he saw in Maarva and the townspeople was not that she was able to accomplish what he didn’t, but rather showing him that his work and sacrifice had paid off. What truly shook him was that he never expected to be able to see the effects of his actions on people. He doesn’t know that Maarva was directly inspired by the heist on Aldhani, but here he sees that impact. It’s not that he never expected the common people to fight back or that he underestimated them, but rather the opposite. He was fully banking on it. He knew what the common people could accomplish, and for him to be able to see that first hand was likely unexpected. I personally like this interpretation better because it makes more sense for his character and story and the ideas that Andor is trying to present. 

Maarva: 

Maarva, the best mother Cassian could’ve had, is arguably the strongest woman portrayed in the show. She decides to stay and fight, she is the one that makes the decision that Ferrix needs to fight back, and she decides it when she knows she will not have the strength to see it through. Maarva is old, she says this herself, she can no longer afford the time to run, she’s too tired. At the very end, she’s had enough, and she is the one that rallies the town to fight the Empire. The last thing Maarva told Cassian (through Brasso) was “Tell him none of this was his fault. It was already burning. He’s just the first spark of the fire. Tell him he knows everything he needs to know and feels everything he needs to feel. And when the day comes and those two pull together, he will be an unstoppable force for good.” Maarva knows Cassian on such a deep level, she knows what he’s gone through and what he’s capable of. Maarva knew deep down that Cassian would be important to the rebels, and here we see a reference to what he is in Rogue One. Andor is before he realizes his full potential and before he “wakes up”, as Maarva says. In Rogue One, we see him take advantage of both his knowledge and emotions and is shown to be the zealot we know him to be. 

“Tell him I love him more than anything he could ever do wrong.” She gives Cassian unconditional love, showing him what love and safety feel like. Maarva took Cassian from Kenari to save him, then proceeded to show him what a home was. 

While similar to Brasso in passion and reliability, Maarva’s characterization happens most through her words whilst Brasso’s was through his actions. Maarva’s speech and her words to Cassian tell us so much about her and her relationships, as well as her importance to the story. She speaks out to the crowd, telling them it’s time to wake up. It’s a metaphor she uses often, she says “The Empire is a disease that thrives in darkness, it is never more alive than we sleep.” Her point is that for the oppressed, they cannot afford the time to relax. In order to win their freedom they need to use every chance they get, because the Empire will never stop. They are the oppressors and as Nemik says, it is unnatural and it requires constant upkeep (more on this later in the Nemik and Skeen section). There will never be a time where the Empire takes a rest because it knows it can’t afford it, so the only way to counteract that is by making them sweat, by stretching the Empire thin. 

Bee:

Bee, the lovable droid who means so much to those around him. He has been with Maarva as a companion since the beginning, and his physical deterioration reflects  Maarva’s as well. Maarva tells Cassian that she’s gotten tired and she can’t move around much anymore. We see that in Bee as well, he has aged and now constantly needs to recharge. I really like this aspect they show about the droids, because in the world of Star Wars, droids are basically another race. It ties into how they respect and acknowledge the emotions of the droids and treat them with dignity. It is clearly shown that the Empire only really respects humans. Any other species, including droids, are neglected and disrespected. Not even all humans are treated properly; we see the way the Empire treats the indigenous people of Aldhani, commenting on their smell and talking about controlling them. What Andor shows with Bee and how he is treated by those around him is that discrimination is something of the Empire. This is really important to show in Andor because in Rogue One, K-2SO was one of the main side characters who was pushing for the rights of droids. Here, with Bee, we see that Cassian and the Rebellion are always ones to respect other people. (Bee is not the only example of this, Commander Gorn’s treatment of the same Aldhani natives that the Empire disregarded is another good example.)

Bee is the one Cassian relies on, when everyone else relies on Cassian. When he tells Bee, “I’m counting on you,” Bee responds, “You always say that.” What does Cassian say? “And you always come through.” Cassian knows how important having someone who holds the heart of the group is. He saw how quickly Skeen fell awry when Nemik got gravely injured, and for Cassian, Bee is that heart. He is the one that keeps everyone going, the one that grounds everyone. When everyone is looking to Cassian for solutions and for help, Bee is the one he goes to to make sure that everybody he cares about is safe. Bee is the one he trusts. 

Nemik and Skeen:

Nemik’s one of the truest believers in the cause. When he said “Tyranny requires constant effort. Authority is brittle. It breaks, it leaks. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that.'' (Nemik’s manifesto, Episode 12), he was calling ordinary people to arms. Not ordinary people the way Cassian or of the others in the official Rebel Alliance are ordinary, but ordinary people who are not affiliated with any sort of organization. One of the beautifully shown parts of Andor was the way the small people did their own little things to fight back. From the sign language on Narkina 5, to Brasso tampering with the Pre-Mor ship, to the people of Ferrix making noise to psych out the Pre-Mor authorities, to Wilmon Paak building a pipe bomb to use against the Empire, none of these connected with each other besides fighting the fascism of the Empire. Nemik understands this, because he, like all of these people, have been radicalized from their experiences of just simply trying to survive the oppression (@spicysucculentz on tumblr). 

One of my favorite lines from Nemik is one of his last lines where he says in his manifesto, “Remember this. Try.” It juxtaposes one of the more famous lines from the franchise, from when Yoda scolds Luke, “Do or do not. There is no try.” Likely, the reason for this difference is in the supernatural. Yoda and Luke are connected to an external, supernatural entity— the Force. But for people like Nemik, normal people who don’t have access to the Force, they can’t afford the binary, the finality of “Do or do not.” They are simply trying to survive, to get through (@killsandthrills on tumblr). In fact, it is because of the average people that the Rebel Alliance was able to become what it was by the time of the original trilogy. The reason why Luke had the cushion of support was because of the efforts of people like Nemik. Luke needed to be able to succeed, fully, but the only way he was able to have that opportunity to finally win is because the Rebel Alliance was already built up by the people who were just trying to do whatever they could to survive. 

Skeen was fascinating to me. I originally wrote him off as a kind of bully: the man who would butt heads with Cassian, the guy who wasn’t fully bought into the Rebellion quite yet. Part of that ended up being true, he wasn’t bought in. But we only truly see this part of him that places himself against the world after Nemik is shown to be near death (with slim chances of surviving). We see a sibling-type dynamic between Nemik and Skeen where they’re friendly and playful. And maybe Nemik was helping Skeen start to believe in the cause near the end, but the thing that ripped it away for him was Nemik’s fatal injury.  We see their banter, but when Nemik gets hurt, Skeen starts to panic. He is the one cradling Nemik’s head and the one to convince Cassian to go for the doctor. “This kid— he is the reason why we are here” (Episode 6); Skeen knows that Nemik’s passion and ideas are important for progress, he knows that Nemik is the heart and soul of the group. When he started to believe in the cause, Skeen started to feel hope again after a long period of time. But Nemik’s death brought him back to his childhood of pain and fighting. This happens so clearly in front of us, where he went from panicking to cynical when Nemik’s at the doctor’s. Skeen says, “Yeah, luck. It’s what drives the whole damn galaxy.” He references how he doesn’t choose his life, the life of struggling when others were born into wealth and privilege. This is the moment where he goes back to what I imagine would be a younger, angrier Skeen. Convinced that he can’t do anything to change the world he becomes selfish, saying that the only rebellion he cares about is his against the world.  Even as he tries to convince Cassian to take the money for themselves, it sounds like he’s also trying to convince himself of what he’s doing. 

Mon Mothma:

Mon Mothma is a perfect example of someone who chose the rebellion. She was not born into it, she was raised privileged in a system that married her off young. Mon Mothma used the tools of the Empire against them, using her power to advocate for those being hurt by the Empire’s laws. She used her family wealth to donate to the rebellion, and she faked evidence of her husband’s gambling problem because she knows they’re listening to her.  On top of this, as @kanansdume on tumblr pointed out, neither Perrin (her husband) nor Blevin realize that Mothma could be lying. She has put up this front of being just a general nuisance, of being very worrisome and concerned about her image. “She showed the stone in her hand, but everyone missed the knife at their throat, just as she said they would.” 

Aside: The Empire is listening to Mothma but none of the smaller people because they make the mistake of forgetting that the small people can make a community and fight back. They don’t listen in to the conversations of the prisoners because, as Cassian says, they don’t need to. They have such a strong grip on the prisoners that they believed that they didn’t need to worry about them or listen to them. But that’s not the case with Mothma. She is a Senator, to their eyes, she poses the most danger. She has money and influence, and to the Empire that’s all that matters. However, in reality, the smaller people ended up being more dangerous to the Empire’s rule than Mothma did. Yes, she was funding the rebellion for some time, but when that fell through, Luthen made a way to get the money anyway. 

Mon Mothma is shown to reject some of the traditional values of her culture. Originally following these values, she married young to a man that she is now constantly butting heads with, stuck in a unsupportive, unhappy marriage Because of this, she has tried to encourage her daughter away from those values, but because she’s a Senator and almost always busy she ends up being a distant mother, and her daughter rebels against her. Instead, she is actively moving  towards those same values Mothma tried to pull herself away from (@rebelsofshield on tumblr). It clearly hurts Mothma to see her daughter doing this but she knows trying to further control her would also not work. And while she tries not to encourage it, her financial position and the rebellion have all but forced her hand into making a decision that she was not prepared to make. 

Kino and Melshi: 

We see Kino’s radicalization happen in the span of a single episode. Kino tries so hard to be an ideal prisoner, he follows the rules, keeps his men in line, and is banking on getting out of there alive. He has built his mind completely around the fact of obeying the Empire. He is so concerned about even talking about breaking out or musing about it because he’s worried that someone is listening in. The use of the line, “How many guards on each floor?” is used to show the process of radicalization. In the beginning of Episode 9, he refuses to respond or even humor Cass. The last lines of the episode are exchanged between Cassian and Kino - “How many guards on each floor?” “Never more than twelve”. Here we see a man angry and broken. He tried so hard to be a good prisoner but with the knowledge that they were never getting out, that when a man’s sentence is up they just send him to the other side of the prison, that is the thing that crushes Kino and makes him turn. He realizes even when playing with the rules of the Empire, there is no winning. When in a game where the other side is an empire, an organization so big as a government, playing by their rules means nothing to them. They will continue to hurt and commit atrocities and do injustice, and it’s only the act of disobedience that brings change. Going on peacefully changes nothing, it just makes you all the more easier for them to ignore. But if you cause a problem? If you are even a bit of nuisance, the slightest bit of a thorn? That is when change will come. 

Kino in the end never made it out of the prison, when all was done and everyone was running out, we find out that Kino can’t swim (we know that the prison itself is in the middle of a lake). He goes through everything, he rallies the entire prison, but in the end he can’t swim, he doesn’t make it out of there. It’s the theme of the show, sacrifice for a sunrise they’ll never get to see. This is Kino’s. 

Melshi, a man we see from the beginning who is already radicalized. He tries to give Cassian a reality check, which was so jarring especially after the introduction to the system, the game that was the prison. That the floors and tables that did the best would get flavor with their food instead of bland food. It’s portrayed as an upside to the prison, to make us think, “Oh this isn’t so bad, it could be worse,” until Melshi comes in and grounds Cassian. He tells him to never look at the numbers, because that is the way they control their prisoners, by giving them hope of freedom, by showing them the days passing and the number going down. Kino pushes Melshi back and tells him to shut up, because Kino is afraid of what those ideas will bring. As far as we see, Melshi is the only one besides Cassian to make it out alive, and we never know if Melshi was able to tell more people about the injustices of the prison. 

Syril and His Mother: 

Syril grew up in a system where he’s been so blind-sided, so steeped in propaganda, he genuinely thinks he is the good guy. Syril and his mother are examples of people who have bought into the lies of the Empire. He is one that believes that the Empire has genuinely brought peace, and that he is protecting that peace. He hasn’t known difficulty the way Cassian and any of the other rebels have, because his entire world was entrenched in the Empire and he’s known nothing else. Even when he gets screwed over by the system he is working so hard to protect, he still doesn’t try to think critically about this system. 

The way he latches on to Dedra in his mind as the one person who has saved him is telling. He is craving for someone to lead him and becomes near obsessed with her. He starts basically stalking her, and there’s some weird tension between the two of them in several scenes. (I have no idea why or what to say about this, it was an observation and an uncomfortable one. I have an idea for nearly everything else, except for this.)

Something that @captjynandor on tumblr points out is that those of the Empire aren’t morally gray. Typically, villains in these types of stories are morally gray, shown to have some other motive or intention that is better, but we don’t see that in Star Wars with the villains. Syril  grew up in an emotionally manipulative household but that isn’t portrayed as an excuse for his actions. He is very clearly shown to be an awful person because he wants that power and control over others and because he enjoys it. 

As Ben Lindbergh on The Ringer mentioned, Syril is a zealot who wants to stand out in a uniform for an Empire that stresses conformity. For most of the season, Syril doesn’t seem to be going in any direction--all we know about him is that he’s incredibly passionate about what he does. It makes us wonder: if Syril happened to be born to a different family, maybe one outside the Empire, how likely is it that he would’ve become a rebellion? If he hadn’t been born into a family and indoctrinated into the Empire, would he have been against the Empire? There was a period of a few episodes in the middle of Syril’s arc in which it seemed as though it was possible that he may become radicalized. We see him fall due to corruption (he knows it’s corruption), and we see him relatively unhappy in a job that is the definition of a corporate nightmare. But because he has a one-track mind (like Cassian sometimes tends to have), he doesn’t try to question the system but rather throws himself right back into it and begins to climb once again. Syril is a symbol of blind faith, the product of indoctrination and manipulation of the Empire. 

The Significance of Narkina 5:

The purpose of the prison was to bring down the prisoners to be only focused on fighting each other instead of the system, but it doesn’t work. Narkina 5 was built to control its inmates. They had several modes of this, the most obvious one being that prisoners were forced to walk barefoot on a floor that could be triggered to electrocute them at any point in time. However the other ways they tried to control were more subtle and  nefarious. First, they made a reward system to benefit  the most efficient inmate, in order to pit them against each other. The reward system? The winning table would get flavor. Flavor. Not something necessary, not something they cared about. All it was, was psychological manipulation. Not only this, but they would display each inmate's running total of how many days left in the prison they had. As they later learned, this number was arbitrary, once your number went to zero they would just put you on another side of the building. Seeing this number go down by one each day would give them a false sense of hope, some motivation to keep moving forward. 

However, this all failed. It didn’t work. The inmates figured out the prison system, then worked together as a cohesive unit to break out. No one turned on each other, they all knew one vital thing and that was that they were all either going to live together or die together. I think the fact that Andor did this, undermining all the prison tropes where the prisoners have to prove themselves, is wonderful (@horatio-fig on tumblr). There are no gangs, just a sense of brotherhood. And this is where the show disproves Skeen’s assertion. Skeen claimed that the way someone survives in an unwelcoming environment is by “climbing over the other guy to get out.” But with Narkina 5 we see that, no, in times of difficulty, the way to survive is by climbing out with the other guy, so that you both get out (@tiarnanabhfainni on tumblr). The prisoners all support one another, and that is human nature. It is not natural for humanity to fight one another, however it is natural for humans to bond with any group they can. 

Quick aside about Narkina 5, the planet itself. When Melshi and Cassian are escaping, they catch sight of an alien aircraft and they make a run for it to steal it. They get caught very easily by said aliens, but instead of them being hostile, they help the pair escape. This is such a good detail because it shows that Narkina 5 wasn’t always a place fit for prisons, it was once someone’s home. We don’t see a lot of aliens in Andor but this is such a beautiful representation of the fact that anyone who is not part of the Empire is against it (because the Empire has screwed over so many people) (@kanansdume on tumblr). 

The Significance of the Construction of the Death Star: 

As @captainofthetidesbreath on tumblr explains, “Yes, Cassian was forced to make parts for the weapon that would ultimately kill him,” but he also had a direct hand in subsequently destroying the very thing that would’ve wrought destruction, the thing he was forced to build against his will, and the event that turns the tides in favor of the Rebel Alliance. The time that he managed to stall the construction was crucial. In Rogue One, the margin of error they had was like threading a needle. The time that Cassian was able to stall the production of the Death Star, even unknowingly, was likely crucial in providing the time for the Rebellion to get the Death Star plans off of the planet. 

The Portrayal of Capitalism:

We see the importance of money from the beginning; in this system, no one can do anything or go anywhere without it. We see people in jobs, having schedules working around those jobs and still making time to fight a rebellion in between the times where they have to make a living. One of the first major objectives for Cassian is to get money.  Yes, in previous star wars movies they did mention money, but it never seemed to be much of an issue for the characters. It was never a legitimate barrier they had to cross. 

Not only do we see the effect of capitalism, but we also see the institutions. The place that Syril ends up going to for work has all the tell tale signs of a corporation. Hell, even before that, Syril worked for Pre-Mor whom everyone called the “Corpos”. He then goes on to work for the Empire in an environment that is so stereotypically corporate: “Everyone matters”, the cubicles, the monotony of the design, everyone wearing the same outfit, they’re all being constantly supervised, using previous familial connections to gain an upper hand, etc. Even the apartments that Syril and his mother live in have the signs of a capitalistic environment. The whole show is a testament to the consequences of oppression and this is one of the best ways they show that. The oppression of  capitalism is about benefiting the big man on top by using the time and labor of the little people below. It is a system built on keeping those born without privilege disadvantaged. And so how do we see them fighting back? Brasso using his job in the shipyard to tamper with the Pre-Mor ship, Salman Paak using his storefront as a cover for Bix to signal Luthen, Bix using her business as a cover for the fact that she’s buying and selling stolen Imperial parts - to name a few. They use the system that screws them over to fight back against the same people stepping on them. 

Similarity to the U.S. Government: 

Here is the illusion of choice, being told that you are in a democracy while there is a facet of the government that is essentially left unchecked.  The Senate in the Star Wars government is really interesting, because it is revealed that the people vote for those in the Senate, and while the Senators are allowed to make noise and advocate for change, we don’t see how they truly have any effect. Who has the most power? The ISB. And is the ISB regulated in any sort of way? Not at all. So what would the ISB equivalent be? The CIA. The CIA, something the people cannot control, known to have actively traffic drugs into black communities in order to control them (similar to the ISB leading along cultures in order to control them) and have recruited Nazis (similar to ISB and the Empire in general in how they treat other cultures and races that they see as “other”, and the genocide of several societies). When all’s said and done, if the government wants something done they go to the CIA (ISB) to do it, since they are technically not controlled by the people. 

If you do not let your prisoners vote, those in power now have strong motivation to imprison their enemies. This is a very basic rule in civics, something we see in both the United States as well as The Empire. The Empire is actively sending out people to capture Rebels and anyone who is remotely against the Empire, since they don’t let any news of what happens inside the prisons reach the outside and because they don’t allow their prisoners to vote. The reason why the levels of incarceration is so high in the United States is because slavery is legal in prison— this loophole in the 13th Amendment provided ample motive for the US government to imprison people of color or those who would stand against them. In a similar line of thought, the portrayal of the prison-industrial complex in Andor is brilliant. The prison-industrial complex is the idea of the relationship between a government and the various businesses that benefit from the institute of incarceration. We see that the government directly benefits from having people incarcerated, and not just because they are keeping supposed criminals, but because they are attempting to build something they will profit off of. They have incentive to imprison people for more petty crimes for longer sentences because they need to generate a self-replenishing workforce to build the Death Star. This sounds somewhat familiar because that is similar to what the CIA did with black communities. 

As mentioned previously, the 13th Amendment provided the loophole that slavery was legal in prison. Because they still wanted to use slavery, they needed to get people into jail. So they trafficked drugs into black communities, which destroyed them and stunted their ability to grow and heal. But the CIA didn’t stop there because they needed a workforce, so then they went on to criminalize drugs, and imprison anyone who was involved with anything drug related. But even if people make it out of prison, getting a job is near impossible at that point, and so they fall back onto crime in order to survive. And then they go back to prison where slavery is legal. It is a  vicious circle meant to cripple a population and profit the government. 

Not meant to be political, eh Gilroy?

The Tragedy of Rogue One

Cassian Andor goes through hell and back, orphaned at a young age and taken from his sister and home planet while the rest of his people are killed. His life is nowhere near easy, and time after time he is roped into rebel activity.  Eventually working for the rebellion on his own motivation, he goes through a whole character arc; again and again, he watches people die for a cause that they will never see come to fruition. He makes bonds with these people and gets close to them, only to see them die. Despite this, he learns that it’s worth it, is prepared to do the same (“Kill me or take me in”), and he realizes that everyone makes a difference, all of the small and big acts. And in the end, he does die for it. At the end of Rogue One, he dies. All of his friends die.

But the tragedy? He had finally, finally, reached happiness. After years of running and fighting in a war that he had no choice but to participate in, he finally finds love: Jyn Erso. And something we’re shown in the show is that he goes through trial after trial, just barely surviving. He survives the attack on his planet, then the attack on his home, then the prison break, then the manhunt- no matter what, he always survives. He always finds a way to keep going, even when things seem dire. Every single time. Except for one. Except for that last time on the beach, when they knew they were about to be killed by the Death Star, what did he do? He sat on that beach with Jyn Erso, and they held each other, knowing that this is the only time that they would be able to spend with each other as a couple. They sat there on that beach and faced death, together, peacefully, after succeeding. They won and they knew it and they knew they would never get to see it and they knew that they would never truly get to be together and that was okay.

[tarabyte3]

I Want You to Show Me Weak

Fandom: Andor

Pairing: Kino Loy/F!Reader

Chapter 1/27 (2.8k words)

Chapter 2 ->

Summary: You're pretty sure Kino Loy hates you. He screams at you, grabs you, and shoves you against the wall, and it's becoming a problem because, well...it shouldn't fluster you as much as it does.

Warnings: Explicit rating, Smut, Prison, Prison sex, minor non-graphic injuries, Dom/Sub, sexual tension, dirty talk, praise, hair-pulling, light choking, unprotected sex, oral, angst

A/N: If you wanted Dom Kino on top of dirty talk Kino, boy do I have some good news for you 😌 Work title is from "Poison" by Vaults. Chapter title is from "Drink You Sober" by Bitter:Sweet

AO3 Link

Chapter 1 - Oh dear, look what you've done, you've made a mess of me

Having women in the prison on Narkina 5 is rare, but not unheard of. They don't really like taking a woman transfer because the prison was built and designed to hold men in close quarters. A woman's presence muddies the waters. Occasionally it's disruptive. And the guards really don't like disruptive, either. God forbid. Unfortunately they have no say in the Empire's decision of who goes where. So there you are, eating, sleeping, and working right alongside the men of Unit Five-Two-D.

There are a lot of things about Narkina 5 that suck, which is a colossal understatement, but your table usually isn't one of them. As far as tables go, especially compared to the rest of the shift's population, table 7 is pretty okay. You lucked out there, which may have been where ALL of your luck had gone instead because the rest of Narkina 5 fucking sucks.

Threl was the first man in your pod to acknowledge you after Kino had given you his whole ego spiel, pointed you in the right direction, and then curtly dismissed you. Threl is a tall, handsome man in his forties with dark brown skin, wide shoulders, a shaved head, a goatee that probably would have been neatly kept in different circumstances, and a rich bass voice. There is an easy confidence to him that had put you at ease when he first shook your hand. He introduced himself, the rest of the group, showed you where you would be standing, and made sure to explain things out loud while he worked. The others seemed happy to let him do all the talking—something that hasn't changed in your time there, and you can see why. He's easy to like. Anytime the table needs something, you all send Threl to talk to Kino. Kino seems to respect him and never looks as irritated talking to him as he does most people in there. Threl and Kino even talk outside of the shift. Not that you've tried to eavesdrop or anything.

On your left is Alis, who you assume is around the same age as you, but shorter than you by several inches. He may even be the shortest person on the whole shift. He has warm copper skin, dark cropped hair, and a wicked scar down the length of his cheek from his temple to his jaw. He never seems to be self conscious about it, thankfully. You think it looks pretty bad ass. Alis is also hilarious. Sometimes he cracks a joke to lighten the mood while you work. You thought it might get obnoxious eventually, but he always knows when to stop and be serious. There have been a few times your whole table has to stifle a laugh as you carry your finished part to the rack. He's the kind of guy you would be friends with on the outside. Alis is also fast. He can move around the table and through a crowd like it's nothing, and you have to scramble to keep up with him.

Next to him is Sorrek. He's the opposite of Alis: taller, older, tawny skinned, with blonde hair that is thinning with a bald spot in the back, and he has a thick build, as though he used to be very athletic when he was younger. He's also a quiet, reserved man. To the point he usually looks sad, but he never lets it slow him down. You like Sorrek, despite this. There's a gentleness to him. It takes a lot to make him angry. And though it's also difficult to make him laugh, it's not impossible. He gives off dad energy. He hasn't said so, but you're pretty sure he has kids. Once you jokingly said, "okay, dad" when he was fretting, and he looked like he was about to cry.

Your table's swing is Jevid. He's the oldest of the group and can't handle the heavier loads like everyone else can because he has a bad back. He's got freckled and sun-spotted ruddy cheeks that stand out against his beige skin, a large round belly, no hair on his head, but a thick, uneven, dark grey beard, and he's missing a top tooth on his left side. He's also ornery, but never mean. Just a grumpy old man. Threl is on the other side of him, and you think the two of them have been in there together for a while. They get along like old friends and Threl is always checking in on him to make sure he's not in too much pain.

Next is Taybus. Fucking Taybus, who fills you with equal parts irritation and affection, like a dumb little brother. He's more than a decade younger than you—you'd be surprised if he's even twenty yet. Before you, he was the newest person at the table, though he's been there for almost a year and a half now. He's tall and lanky with chin length brown hair that's always in his face, has the saddest attempt at growing a mustache you've ever seen, and his fair skin is dotted with tiny moles. Taybus is also a little shit on purpose. His main hobby is picking on people. It's not malicious or aggressive, he just likes bickering. Because he's an asshole. And a kid.

Finally, there's Edii, who you haven't quite figured out yet, even though he's next to you at the table. You've tried to talk to him a few times, but he's...well, he's quiet to the point of ignoring everyone else most of the time, except when he gets irritated. His basic is heavily accented already, but when he's mad, he slips into his native tongue so no one can understand what he's saying. You think he prefers it that way. He's almost sickly pale with short black hair, a thin nose and lips, and dark eyes. You can count on one hand the amount of times you've seen him smile, usually thanks to Alis and once because of you. He's the second youngest of the group, so before you came along, he got the brunt of Taybus's focused antagonism and he didn't handle it as well as you do. Threl had almost seemed relieved the first time Taybus teased you and you dug into him right back.

You all work well together. Your numbers aren't good enough to be in first place, but you do okay for yourselves. They don't treat you any differently because you're a woman, either. Well, Sorrek might worry and check up on you more than he does the others, and Jevid often apologizes if he makes a comment he thinks is inappropriate to say "in front of a lady," even though you tell him you've heard and said far worse. And you're not a lady, you're a woman. Other than that, though.

Then there's Kino Loy.

You're pretty sure Kino Loy hates you.

Not "Kino Loy finds you annoying" or "hates that you're his problem." Hates you. Specifically. You've only been there a month and he's already gotten pissed at you four times. That's a once a week average…except that all of them were in the past week and a half.

Now, you won't deny you probably deserved most of it. You just wish he wasn't such an asshole about it all the time.

-----

The first incident was for talking back. He was ragging on your table about picking up the pace and shouting out the tallies, like that would magically make you all less exhausted. You were tired and in pain, which made you irritable. So you may have told him that if he didn't like it, he could squeeze in between Alis and Sorrek on the other side of the table and help. Your entire pod, and some of the men that overheard in the pods next to yours, stared at you in horror. Even Edii.

Kino's eyes met yours, however, and he looked terrifyingly calm. And you knew immediately that you fucked up. He had you backed up against the table in seconds, the edge digging into your hip, and he got as close to you as he could without touching you.

"Never talk back to me again, do you understand?" His voice was low and there was a dangerous edge to it. You could feel his breath on your face and see every line on his. You noticed he had a tiny freckle on his left cheek, just above the line of his graying beard, and there were flecks of silver in the blue of his irises, like looking at frost through tinted glass.

"Sorry, Kino. I'm just tired, it won't happen again," you muttered, sounding properly chastised. And you were. Tired and sorry. Because you hadn't meant to say it, but sometimes your mouth got you in trouble.

"You're damn right it won't."

After he had stalked off, Threl gave you a disappointed look and Sorrek gave you a sad one. You just shook your head and said, "yeah yeah, I know."

-----

The second time was for smacking Taybus, who deserved it for being a little shit. He likes riling Edii up by moving his tools or telling him he's doing something wrong until the quiet man snaps and goes off on a tirade back at Taybus. Which meant that day, Edii was more focused on ranting than working. It slowed everyone down, and it was also annoying. Threl had told Taybus to knock it off, which usually put an end to it, but he wasn't shutting up. So you smacked him. But it wasn't just that you smacked him. It was that you left your spot, walked around Edii, and smacked him. Hard.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Kino's voice boomed from halfway across the room. The floor went quiet immediately, some men even stopped working, and they all turned to look at you. Then Kino was scowling and stalking towards you.

Like a deer in headlights, you responded, "I was telling Taybus to shut the hell up because he's distracting the table." There was a sputter of protest behind you, and you thought Taybus should be grateful Kino was almost there or you would have smacked him again. Kino looked even more pissed after that, his face contorted in controlled rage, and you braced yourself. You felt like a child getting scolded in a classroom, and you hated it. It made you feel small.

"I told you on your first day here that if you have a problem with someone, you come to me. What part of that did you have trouble understanding?" He was once again leaning in so close you could feel him in front of you, like a swell of heat and pressure.

"None of it." Your face and neck flushed with anger and embarrassment.

"Sure as hell didn't look that way."

You shifted awkwardly on your feet and looked down at the floor. You wanted to defend yourself, say that you were just trying to get the work done, but you knew it would only make things worse.

"Next time, you have problems at your table? Don't do my job for me. Got it?" Kino also gave Taybus, who finally had the decency to look apologetic, a pointed look.

You nodded.

"Sorry, Kino," Threl spoke up.

Kino turned to him, but with less anger, and said, "Just keep your table in line."

Threl and Sorrek both gave off more disappointed dad energy, Alis tried to crack a joke to lighten the tension, but quickly gave up, Taybus sulked, Edii went back to being Edii, and Jevid spent the next ten minutes telling you that you shouldn't rile Kino up.

"Never seen that man yell at someone so much." Jevid shook his head.

"Gee, thanks, Jev. Makes me feel really great to know I'm the only woman AND the biggest fuck up."

"You aren't a fuck up," Sorrek softly interjected. You appreciated him. Truly, you did. Even if he was, perhaps, a bad judge of character.

"I'm just sayin', you should keep your head down for a bit and let him cool off."

You let out a huff of exasperation. "That's what I'm trying to do!" And you were. Trying, that is.

-----

The third time was for talking back again.

You muttered under your breath thinking he wouldn't hear you, and boy were you wrong. He actually grabbed you by the front of your uniform that time, and you gasped when he pulled you closer. He didn't say anything, just glared at you with this intense look on his face for a solid twenty seconds while your heart pounded and he remained perfectly in control. It got his point across. Or at least you assume it did because you kept thinking about it the rest of the day. And the day after.

-----

The fourth time wasn't your fault. You were standing in line after your shift and Taybus was whining to Alis about wanting to finally get first place because he was tired of eating warm mush.

"It's pretty good, man. You ever have fried trunkfish and gravy?"

"No," Taybus whined some more.

"Reminds me of that. Real gourmet shit."

"Man! We were getting close when Ondon was still here. Now we're stuck with someone getting us in trouble all the time and messing up our numbers." He said the last part loud enough that you could hear, as if you weren't already listening.

"Oh, come off it. Don't pretend it's me, like Threl doesn't pick up your slack." You rolled your eyes.

"Alis agrees with me. Don't you?" He turned to the shorter man.

Alis held up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, don't drag me into your shit. I just work here."

"Taybus, you have something on your face." You suddenly pretended to look concerned and stared at his nose.

"What? Where?" He rubbed at his mouth and chin a few times. "Did I get it?" You leaned in closer, like you were checking.

"It's right here." You pointed to the spot above your lip. "Oh wait, it's just that smudge you call a mustache. My bad." You could hear Alis choke on a sudden laugh and you gave Taybus a wicked grin.

"Oh, fuck you." Taybus gave you a friendly shove. It wasn't intended to hurt, but it was still hard enough that you stumbled backwards a step. And because you have the worst luck of anyone in there, you bumped straight into Kino. But you didn't know it was Kino, so you turned to apologize and were met with his angry frown.

You gaped at him. Before you could say anything, he grabbed you by the front of your uniform, walked you backwards, and pushed you against the window. The panes are angled inward so you were awkwardly hunched forward, and he was inches away, looking up into your face.

"Well?" He forced the word through gritted teeth.

"Sorry! I…tripped." The lie sounded terrible even to you, but you didn't want to throw your friends under the transport, even if one of them really deserved it at that point.

"Tripped." His jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. Then he leaned in closer. His legs met yours, pressing you further against the glass, and he angled his head slightly so your mouths were close to touching. "No more. Got it?" He demanded in a husky whisper, and you could feel his breath against your lips. You tried so hard not to let your gaze fall to his mouth.

You wanted to nod your understanding because you didn't trust your voice, but you were close enough that if you did, you were going to headbutt him or accidentally kiss him. And you were pretty sure that if you did either, he would find a way to throw you out the window. Instead you whispered out, "yes, Kino."

He kept you there for another few seconds, both of you panting into the inch of space between you and you trying not to squirm against him, before he stepped back and released you suddenly. You flailed to catch your footing and not to fall on your face. Then he turned his back to you and walked off without another word. Like that didn't just happen. Like you weren't a flushed wreck behind him. As you shuffled back to the line, trying not to meet anyone's eyes out of sheer mortification, you heard him at the front yelling for everyone to keep it down.

"I thought he was gonna make out with you for a second," Taybus whispered over his shoulder.

"Taybus!" You hissed. "Shut. Up." Though you had to admit, you kind of thought he was going to as well. And you weren't sure if you were relieved or disappointed that he didn't.

NEXT CHAPTER->

[kanadabiscuits]

Top 5 Andor moments

JUST FIVE????

In NO particular order because I get emotional with every moment I linger over...

The funeral procession for Maarva. The stubborn and purposeful decision to hold the march when they chose, not when the Empire uniforms said they could. The slow, almost discordant strains as the music coalesced into a perfect storm to ignite a simmering rebellion. The cadence shift as the two streams of musicians meet and the music rises into a challenge, a threat, a PROMISE. Then you add Maarva's speech (let her say "Fuck the Empire", you cowards) and Brasso wielding her brick to clock a soldier and signal the beginning of their uprising??? *chef's kiss*

Nemik, his keen sense of what exactly was happening and his insight into the Empire, how it mustered its power and how that power could be fought... His manifesto. Those words that resonated in Cassian's soul, quiet at first, able to be ignored, but rising in insistence and volume until the earnest voice of a fallen rebel became a clarion cry and a call to arms.

The entire prison arc. NEVER MORE THAN TWELVE. The hubris of the Empire to hold so many lives in their hands with so little actual authority to maintain control. POWER DOESN'T PANIC. The strength this gave them as long as ignorance remained intact and the fatal flaw it became the moment knowledge and resolve set an unstoppable force in motion. ONE WAY OUT.

EVERYTHING ABOUT B2EMO. How they keep creating these little creatures and droids that steal our hearts instantly without repeating the formula is beyond me. But I would kill for this stuttering, loyal, lonely little clunky box of a droid.

I mean, what else do I chose? That stunning shot of Mon Mothma, sat in breathless fear and faltering resolve in a situation that allows her no escape, framed by her gilded cage, as much a prisoner of her choices and the threat of the Empire as Cassian in his floating penitentiary. Her casual and calculated framing of her husband for financial irregularities?

Or do I go with that masterwork of physical transformation as Luthen, in the close quarters of his transport ship, shifts before our eyes from lethal, capable, taut and serious features of a rebel leader to the soft-cheeked, high-society benevolent dealer in art and antiquities? Or Luthen's speech to his reluctant accomplice, his Empire mole, as he relentlessly strips him of any illusions that there is any way out for any of them. With a few savage words he reveals the price he has paid for the work that must be done, so that others may have a chance to survive, to fight, and with luck, bring down an Empire?

Or the sheer brilliance of the show giving us an Empire far removed from Force and lightsabers and dynasties of power. Instead we get bureaucratic ladder climbers, the beige horror of the banality of evil, decisions made for tactical reasons or financial, retaliations that vastly exceeds any sense of proportion to the perceived crime, and the insidiously slow erosion of rights. The most chilling of villains and chillingly relatable in our current lives. "The Empire has been choking us so slowly, we're starting not to notice. The time has come to force their hand."

Do I need to rewatch soon? I think I do.

[vipier-a]

can we talk ? alone ?

IT HAD BEEN A RATHER IMPRESSIVE VICTORY, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, AND CERTAINLY ONE OF GENERAL PATEL’S BEST. he’s hardly what anyone would consider a top notch superior officer — passing, at best — but with the help of his inner circle, they’ve tightened the ranks, improved their strategies, and developed an incredibly positive rapport which, if he’s honest, still surprised him, especially where captain andor and the clone commanders are concerned. ( after all, it had never escaped his notice that @k4ssa had always remained stiff and formal around the troopers, which had only begun to change after the general’s brief sojourn in medical after a particularly brutal battle about two months prior. ) the camp is rowdier than usual, filled to the brim with the joyous sounds of celebration — laughter, shouts and cheers, the clinking of glasses, upbeat music somewhere off to his right.

for his part, tristan quietly holds an ale in one hand, observing as he sits off to the side in his casual garb, the comfortable and simple set of robes that dated back to his padawan days. commander specs sits beside him, similarly propped with his back against a weapons crate. it’s an easy silence between them, one of trusted comrades, a designation specs has certainly earned in his general’s eyes. privately, he has sometimes considered that specs is the sort of mentor he’d perhaps always needed in his youth, despite almost certainly not having been commissioned at that time — but it is a thought too raw not to sweep away quickly after it comes to mind. not that specs hasn’t clearly had the notion himself.

“ you did good, general, ” the commander says quietly below the din of celebration around them, warm, with a note that almost sounds like pride. the words sink in slowly through tristan’s initial silence. he draws in a deep breath, swigs from the bottle in his hand, allows no more than the slightest turn at the corner of his mouth to alter his expression. the subtle acknowledgement of his own uncertainties — his own insecurities — feels at once a relief and an unnerving danger. war has made a different man of him, has somehow softened him in its untold brutality. some days, he finds he does not quite recognize himself. perhaps he has fixed himself too readily to what feels like a dysfunctional family unit in his strange gnawing hunger to belong. for as much as he trusts his commanders, he becomes daily more aware how far he presses fate. for instance, it should bother him more, even frighten him more, he knows, that he strongly suspects that at least specs and kilo know about him and the captain. it should choke him with terror that he treats the suspicion so casually, yet here he sits, peaceful in specs’s company, knowing in his gut that cassian will fetch him any minute.

“ it’s hardly my victory, specs, ” the general finally answers with uncharacteristic modesty, swigging from the bottle again. “ I’m useful on the battlefield, but the plan belonged to you, kilo, and andor. don’t tell the men, but without the three of you, I’d be lost. ” despite his words, he doubts the information is anything but common knowledge.

he feels specs’s gaze linger thoughtfully on him for a few long moments. “ we would do anything for you. you know that, don’t you? me. kilo. andor. ” there’s something in that final name, something tris could swear sounds knowing and affectionate. something in the pit of his stomach flutters. “ anyone can learn strategy. you’ve got something that can’t be taught. you hold us together. you’re the glue. none of it would work without you. ”

tristan doesn’t look at his commander ; he can’t. the brotherhood that’s blossomed within their ranks is often too much for him to process, almost too much to stomach. he is not used to being loved, let alone in so many different ways. his commanders’ loyalty, confidence, kinship, their unfailing support and affection despite uncertain beginnings, the depth with which he’s grown to trust them. his relationship with cassian and how it evolved from stolen moments in the senate building to become as much a part of him as a limb, its roots in his heart so deep now that tristan knows he could never remove his captain if he tried. and he doesn’t wish to, not any more than his lover, who had proven far more devoted than tris ever realized in his padawan days.

the concept of rejecting attachment had already seemed silly and dubious back then. now, it seems downright ridiculous. how could he give up what he loves so dearly? and more, how could giving up what he loves in any way benefit the greater good, as the jedi order claims? none of it would work. what good could he truly do without these connections? how ineffectual would he be as a general without them? how could he possibly articulate any of this to specs in this camp, beneath these moons, with the weight of all of that love clinging to him, sweet like honey, thick like tar? how can he possibly explain that it is he that would not work without all of them? the words don’t come, can’t, as though there are none that could possibly express the depth of his gratitude, nor the strange overwhelming heartache that blossoms simply from the knowledge that he is kept in so many hearts. it washes over him like a tide, stealing his breath, overwhelming him momentarily as he opens himself to the warmth of specs’s sentiments, the true strength of those emotions, even as none of it shows in his serene expression.

“ can we talk? alone? ” captain andor’s question from over his left shoulder blessedly saves him from the inevitability of a substantive reply. tristan feels his face relax and he’s unable to keep the corner of his mouth from pulling slightly upward. after a moment, he tilts his head backward to regard cassian standing above him, and between them, they exchange a look of unyielding softness that lasts only a beat before tris glances back at his commander with an apologetic half-smile. he finishes his ale in a single swig, banishing the lump that’s grown in his throat, and sets the empty bottle up on the top of the weapon’s crate before rising quickly to his feet.

“ thanks, specs. I’ll see you tomorrow. not too bright and early. we all deserve to sleep in a little. ” the general has no doubt the camp will remain quiet throughout most of the morning, and already, he looks forward to waking with a few hours to spare, to lazing in cassian’s embrace before they must engage in the unconvincing charade of sneaking him out of tristan’s tent. specs gives them a nod in farewell — respectful, almost affectionate, knowing in a way that might have bothered tris months before. he and andor turn almost in sync to move away from the festivities and tristan gives a breath of relief as the noise begins to ease, giving way to the gentle ambient sounds of the night in the forest beyond. cassian nearly turns toward tristan’s tent when they are well away from the eyes of the battalion, but tristan keeps moving forward, toward the towering trees and the scattered flicker of natural lights in their boughs that provide visibility to the forest floor even this late at night.

they say nothing, and cass follows without question. truth be told, tristan isn’t entirely sure where he’s going — only that he feels the need to separate himself, to separate them, from the camp for a little while, to clear his head, to collect his thoughts, to be alone together. without looking, his hand finds his companion’s and he knits their fingers together as they continue their silent journey through the trees on practiced, silent feet. tristan closes his eyes, inhales, savoring the pure aroma of the woods now that they’ve separated from the soldiers, the liquor, the bonfire. the night seems to soak into his skin as they walk together, dousing him in a chilled and cleansing energy that thrills its way through his veins. it is something he sometimes so desperately wishes he could share with cassian, these sensations of interconnectivity that strike when the world is quiet and the force beats its steady, grounding drum deep within the very core of him. the effect of the force, the way tristan feels it, remains a relatively taboo topic between them for reasons tris actually understands deeply ; the intricacies of the force unnerve many, including cassian, and to push knowledge or experience upon cass would amount to a violation for which he knows he could never atone, at least not with himself.

the forest opens to a lake, reflecting the planet’s triplet moons upon its glossy ink surface. tristan’s pace picks up just slightly, tugging cassian along as he makes his way a large slab of rock that crops out to the water. he only slips his hand from cassian’s when he steps out of his shoes and moves to the edge closes to the water to sit. then, carefully, he rolls his trousers up to his knees before dipping his feet into the lake and releasing a sigh of contentment as the cool water soothes the ache that remains from weeks of patrols and a brutal day of battle. he feels cass take a seat beside him, and without a beat of hesitation, as though magnetized, tristan leans into his side, setting his head on his shoulder, draping his arms around his middle. whatever paltry resistance may remain melts away at the sensation of cassian’s lips against the crown of his head and his fingers brushing hair back behind tris’s ear. nothing has ever felt more sacred than this. no matter the teachings of the order, especially in this moment, tris cannot possibly find it in himself to believe that the thrum of connection he feels to this man, the unwitting transference of devotion that warms him like sunlight through every pore of him, could be anything less than the most pure of religious experiences.

“ sorry, ” he whispers into the night, sounding entirely too contented to actually mean such an apology. “ I needed a moment away from the noise. out here. with you. ” cassian’s grip around him tightens, almost disarming in its protectiveness, and tristan presses his face into the other man’s shirt to breathe in the scent of him, the very essence. “ it was a long day, ” is muffled into him, almost inaudible, lost into the solid face of cass’s shoulder. for a few moments, they remain that way, clutched to each other as though they haven’t held one another in days or weeks. cassian’s fingers stroke through tristan’s hair, trace a path down his spine, each touch tender and deliberate enough to leave tris a little dizzy with relief and pure, unadulterated affection. for some reason, specs’s words linger in the back of his soothed mind: you hold us together. you’re the glue. he wonders if cass would agree.

finally, he allows his head to tilt backward, gazing up at the planes of cassian’s face illuminated by the planet’s dazzling moonlight. a sight he could truly worship. “ you were magnificent. your strategy, too, naturally, but … you fought so fiercely. do you have any idea how proud it makes me? to stand beside you? fight beside you? to be— ” he trails off, leaning to press his forehead against his lover’s, lifting a hand to cup his jaw, to stroke his cheek with a gentle thumb. after a moment, he breathes half a chuckle, almost sheepish, humming low as he brushes cassian’s nose with his own. “ but you wanted to talk. what about, love? unless it was just an excuse to get me alone, and if that’s the case, we can just strip down and have a swim. ”

[makiruz]

Watched the second arc of Andor (episodes 4-6) and I gotta say it's less interesting than the first one. The pacing is still bad, the episodes are slow and once again the first 2 episodes could've been only one; and this time I feel the third one could've been trimmed, we really didn't the Mon Mothma plot, and I don't know what the cop is doing here, has he declared himself Andor's nemesis or something?

Anyway there are more things that bother me; well gotta admit the Rebel plot feels less weird but that's probably because it's a heist and that's a very Rebel plot; but the Coruscant plot is weird and the Imperials are starting to feel weird too. In the first arc the cops work because they fit with the Imperialism/Authoritarianism themes of Star Wars, now it's starting to be Game of Thrones and I'm sorry I don't feel it.

Now watching this part I realize the key problems of this series: 1. When I was watching it and observing the functioning of the Rebellion I kept comparing it with Star Wars Rebels and half-way through I realized that's the problem, this series has the same premise as Rebels but Rebels is better. 2. The Rebellion/Fascism themes aren't working because Andor isn't using this themes right; the Fascism isn't classic Fascism, the one that we've seen so far, it's the subtle choke-hold of modern capitalism-imperialism, which wouldn't be bad in isolation but this Star Wars, the Empire isn't subtle, that's the point, the Empire is a blunt object that kills people this cultural genocide they're doing with the Dhani is the kind of thing only Thrawn would do; the point of Thrawn is that he's the best, smartest Imperial officer who knows murdering people is bad way to control people but no one listens to him because he's an alien. For the Rebellion, what happens is that the way it works is weird; my brother pointed out it's because they're mixing their metaphors, the Rebellion has a wealthy sponsor, like modern social movements, but the Rebellion is a guerrilla and it works like real world guerrillas, they sustain themselves and rely on the local population which are sympathetic to the cause but not ready to take arms (which incidentally is how Rebels works); in this show is like when you're on Coruscant the Rebellion is BLM and when they're Aldhani the Rebellion are the Zapatistas, it doesn't work and it doesn't really fit with Star Wars. 3. Finally, the show is taking the audience for granted and expecting you to fill the gaps yourself, something I didn't noticed until my brother pointed it out is that the Empire doesn't actually does anything that bad, they haven't done any massacres, nor threatened local populations, in fact the Rebels have killed more people than the Empire so far, you're supposed to accept they're they're the bad guys and the Rebels the good guys because you're Star Wars fan, you know how it works; another example is the Dhani, in the 3rd episode the heist keeps cutting to them and I get the feeling I'm supposed to have an emotional connection with them, but they haven't been shown until now, so there's nothing concrete there. It's like, you're supposed to accept the story, but the story isn't properly built because you're supposed to be invested already

Next personal gripes: Are they seriously giving Mothma the "the cause will hurt your relationship with your family" plot? Seriously? I hate that plot, it's like they're saying the Activist (who is usually a woman) is being selfish and neglecting her family for caring about human rights, she should stop helping people and take care of her family, god I hate it; also, Rebels also has the plot of a senator who is involved with the Rebellion and his kid is an active member of the Rebellion and she has about the same age as Mothma's daughter. Kid died just like that? Wasn't even shot by an Imperial, he got crushed by accident? Are you fucking kidding me? Episode 3 seems to imply there's something going on between the 2 women of the group and I actually shouted at the screen "fuck you!" when that happened; I mean, you've had 2 whole episodes where nothing happens and you establish that now? Half-way through the last episode of the arc? No, fuck you. I seriously don't know what's happening in Coruscant, what's the point? I'm assuming everything's gonna come together at the end, but so far it's annoying and so white; I mean as in a"a white upper class person wrote this" kind of way. Man I miss George, he got the guerrilla; or Dave, he got it too

[feyre-darling92]

Captain & Major P.3

Cassian Andor x reader

Hello there. Here’s part 3. Likes and reblogs are always appreciated! Also, feel free to express your thoughts in the comment section. I’m always happy to read your thoughts.

T/W: swearing, blood, injuries, killing, choking, bad writing, let me know if I missed anything

Word Count: 1,4 k

The time had passed and disappointment had started growing when you saw from the corner of your eye a hooded figure sitting next to you.

“The sunrise is beautiful, isn’t it?” you heard his deep voice.

“I prefer the sunset” you replied and nodded at Cassian who waited for confirmation.

He took off his hood and you finally saw his face.

The white hair that was like the snow despite the young of his age and the purple color of his eyes was enough to recognize your old friend.

“Acacius” 

“Y/N” you hugged him and he hugged you back.

“This is Captain Cassian Andor” you introduced him.

“Acacius. Y/N’s friend” he introduced himself.

“We learned that you have important information” the captain spoke with his slightly thick accent.

“Oh, and I will tell you. But first, you must reply to my questions”

There is something off you thought. The way he stood, the way he spoke, that he always had his hand on his blaster ready to shoot. He was supposed to be an ally, not an enemy.

“We weren’t informed about this,” you said suspiciously.

“Oh, yeah. I decided to change the agreement a bit when I learned that the Captain and the Major would come to find me. It doesn’t happen all the time”

You and Cassian exchanged a worried look but before you could react you felt a blaster pointed at you and assumed Cassian had too.

“Now, you and your charming friend will follow me like nothing has happened before I decide to shoot you. Understood, love?” he leaned in and whispered so only you could hear.

 The son of a bitch, he betrayed you! How could he?

You had fought alongside in many battles and dedicated your life to the rebellion. At least you had.

You got out of the bar and turned to a dark alley.

“What are we doing now, boss?” the man who was holding Cassian asked.

Acacius started giving orders in a language you weren’t familiar with. In the meanwhile, you and Cassian had made a plan. The idiot hadn’t realized that you still had your blasters so when you found the perfect moment you would perform the great escape.

He seemed distracted enough by giving orders and Cassian gave you the sign.

You took your blaster and shot Cassian’s guard, him doing the same. You shot the two others and began to run when five more appeared. You started shooting but felt the coolness of metal hitting you in your head. 

You fell to the ground slowly losing consciousness. You heard Cassian shouting your name in the distance but it was too late.

-------------------- Cassian’s Pov

Fuck, fuck, this was a trap

I saw her falling to the ground and even though I shouted her name I never got a response.

Great

“Drop your blaster. Or you’ll end up like her”

I did as they said slowly placing my blaster on the ground. Had they shot her? Panic rose inside of me, the last thing I wanted was to lose my partner.

Partner or something more? A voice inside me asked but now was not the time. 

“What did you do to her?”

“Don’t worry, Captain. She will be awake in a couple of hours” Acacius said and ordered them to take her. They blindfolded me and we left.

We had been together for four hours and we had already been betrayed and captured. Usually, I would have stopped trusting her by the moment she tried to convince K2 to stay. But she was somehow different.

And I didn’t like that.

-----------------------------Y/N’s Pov

You opened your eyes, groaning in pain. You touched the back of your head only to feel blood on your fingers.

“Here, take this” You heard Cassian and turned to face him. 

He was sitting in the corner, his back against the wall. You remembered what had happened and tried to stay calm.

You took the fabric he offered you and muttered a thank you, not quite sure if he’d heard you.

“So, what do we do now?” you asked leaning against the wall for support. You were now locked in a cell, unarmed, with guards everywhere.

“Oh, I don’t know, why don’t you ask your friend?” he said annoyed.

“Great. Shall I remind you that he betrayed me as well?”

“You were supposed to know him better. He’s your friend”

“Was my friend”

“Still”

“If you care to know, he contacted the rebellion directly, they didn’t find him through me. I hadn’t heard from him for years”

“Either way, you know how to pick your friends” he murmured.

“If you want to sit here and throw accusations at me, that’s fine. But I don’t want to stay here any longer, especially with you”

“You are free to go. If you of course make it out alive. But alive or not, I will continue this mission. Understood?” He was now only a few inches away from you, your height difference forcing you to lift your head to look him in the eyes.

“Understood. But I don’t promise I won’t kill you if you get on my nerves”

He smirked, “all threats and no actions”

“You wouldn’t like to see what I am capable of”

“I would like to try”

“I-” you began but you were interrupted by the crackling sound of the key against the lock.

Two guards entered and tied your hands, ordering you to follow them. You did as you were told, walking past other cells and corridors until you finally stopped in front of a metal door.

The guards opened it and pushed you in, locking the door behind you.

You observed the room. It was dark and small, Acacius was sitting on a chair in the middle, and five others were next to him.

We were forced to our knees by two guards.

The sick bastard had planned this from the beginning.

“So, Captain and Major. The two famous rebels. I’ll get straight into the point. What are you planning?” he asked.

“Like we’ll ever tell you. Traitor” you hissed and he got up. He stood in front of you and grabbed your hair, forcing you to face him. “Say that again, darling? Do you want to do this the hard way?”

“You can certainly try, but the only thing you’ll achieve is your place in the jail. Do you think we didn’t understand that you are an imperial spy?”

“And what if I am? You won’t live to tell others”

“They’ve already been informed”. Cassian was bluffing but it was working.

“I asked you a question. What is the Rebellion planning?”

“Are you deaf?” Cassian smiled but Acacius kicked him in the stomach.

“You’re out of options, Captain. Tell us or we’ll have to force the words out of your mouth” he grabbed him by the neck and lifted him, choking him.

“Let him go” you screamed. “He doesn’t know anything. They trusted only me with the information. He doesn’t know anything, he came with me for the killing part”

Lies, too many lies. If he found out you were dead.

You didn't know why you reacted that way. But you couldn’t let him kill Cassian.

Acacius let him fall to the ground, nodding to the guards to take him away.

“Then it’s just you and me” he took out his knife. At least he was too idiot to understand your lie.

He grabbed your arm and carved a line along with it. The pain was harsh and tears came into your eyes. 

You didn't let the pain stop you when you grabbed the knife from his hand and pressed it against his throat.

Shoots were fired by Cassian and all the guards were dead along with the men Acacius was accompanied with. 

"What do you know about the new weapon?" you pressed the knife even harder.

"The plans are on the-" he was chocking but not by you. Blood had started trickling from his eyes and mouth.

"No, no, no, don't die now" you murmured. "Tell me!"

"Alexander Schmidt, he-he has the plans" he finally said and then his heart stopped beating.

Cassian stood next to you. 

"What are we doing now?"

"We find Mister Schmidt and the plans" you replied not taking your eyes from Acacius. 

Your "old friend".

"But first, we get the hell out of here"

[mari-beau]

PARTNERS - A Rogue One Fanfiction

Written for Cassian Appreciation Week 2021 Day 4: Alliance Intelligence

(I know I missed Cassian Appreciation Week entirely with this one, but it got a little more out of hand than the quick scene tags and etc. Actually, tumblr posting etiquette question: At what point is a fanfic considered too long to post directly and should be hosted elsewhere and linked to? Or is inserting a ‘keep reading’ break enough?)

Title: Partners

Characters: Cassian Andor POV; Jyn Erso, Draven

Pairing: Cassian/Jyn

Words: 2633

Setting: Post-Rogue One, Canon-divergent (in that Cassian & Jyn live)

Summary: Cassian receives his first assignment for Alliance Intelligence after recovering from his Scarif injuries, but something is amiss with Jyn Erso. And something is gnawing at him as well...

Spoilers: Rogue One

Warnings: Our heroes have a little bit of PTSD/Separation Anxiety; Also it’s in a layered/nonlinear narrative format, which hopefully is clear/works.

“Where?” she asked. Was there a desperate edge to Jyn’s voice? Or did he just want there to be?

“You know I can’t tell you where.”

Cassian thought she would at least roll her eyes, if not spout sardonic criticism of Alliance Intelligence not even trusting their own people, not trusting those rebels who’d sacrificed everything for the Cause. But she surprisingly remained silent, pursing her lips and giving a little shake of her head.

“Are you allowed to tell me how long you’ll-” She swallowed, uncharacteristically vulnerable. “You’ll be gone?”

“I’m not sure.” Cassian wanted to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, but he’d never seen her look so fragile, and he was afraid a single touch might shatter her.

“Okay.” Her response was clipped, even for her, and she just nodded her head, refusing to meet his eyes.

“I’ll be back, Jyn,” he said. And maybe he’d never actually said it outright, but maybe she needed to hear it. “I’ll never leave you behind.”

Again, she only nodded her head, repeating “Okay.”

He gave into the urge, placed a hand on her biceps and stroked her arm through the layers of her thick thermal jumpsuit.

“Are you-” he tried to ask her whether she was feeling okay, but she shrugged his hand off and bolted, leaving him to watch her fleeing back as she disappeared down an icy corridor, blinking in surprise.

…

Earlier…

“Medical informs me you’re cleared for active duty, Captain Andor.” Draven managed to make it both a statement and a question. Of course he was the head of Intelligence, a spy to his very core, working in vagaries. Except when he issued orders. Those were always clear.

“Yes, sir.” Cassian tried to stand at full attention, but the stance honestly put a little too much pressure on his bad leg. If it was just the artificial hip, he’d probably be sprier than he’d been before. But the deep tissue damage was going to take awhile, if he ever did regain the full musculature in his leg, the tendons and ligaments would never be the same. The fractures in his vertebrae and ribs had thankfully knitted back up and neither bothered him too badly. Even with the unrelenting cold of Hoth.

“I have your next assignment.”

Cassian nodded, accepting the datapad with mission specifics. He gave it a cursory glance.

Deep cover.

“Is this a solo mission?” he asked, but pretended to continue to study the information rather than risk revealing his insecurities to his commanding officer. “Or am I going to need a team?”

Maybe just a partner?

“It has to be you,” Draven said. “And only you. They’re your connections. Well, one of your alias’ connections.”

The older man hesitated, not dismissing Cassian, not continuing with the briefing, just standing, waiting. Cassian mustered the best impassive face he could before meeting his commanding officer’s gaze.

“You’re still one of the best agents we have, Andor.”

Cassian nodded his head in silent acceptance of the reassurance.

“When do you need me to leave?” he asked.

“Whenever you’re comfortable enough with the mission brief. But the sooner, the better.” Draven was still studying him intently, with more scrutiny than Cassian had even faced as an undercover spy. “You know where to find me if you have any follow up questions.”

“Yes, sir,” Cassian said, recognizing his dismissal.

Something twisted deep in his chest as he walked away.

He needed to find Jyn and tell her he’d be leaving.

…

That Day on the Beach of Scarif…

“Look.”

It sounded like Jyn’s voice. Was there an afterlife, then? And could Cassian have somehow been lucky enough to be with her there?

No. No, that couldn’t be the case. There was too much pain. If he no longer had a body, then why did it hurt in the way physical flesh only could?

“Cassian!” Jyn’s voice was more urgent and she was squirming in his arms, her hands tugging on the sleeves of his shirt. “What is that?”

He forced his eyes open. It was bright. So bright. Why was she confused? It was Death.

No. No, it wasn’t?

He squinted, blinking his eyes as he looked off toward the ocean, well, where the ocean had been, where the wall of destruction had… stopped?

Jyn looked at him in wide-eyed amazement. “Is that a-”

“Shield,” Cassian gasped, in utter shock himself. “The Empire must have installed an emergency shield to protect the facility.”

“How long?” Jyn was breathing hard, already scrambling to her feet.

“Against that blastwave? Not long,” Cassian said. “Maybe it has dispersed some of the explosive force already but…”

“Come on.” Jyn was standing, leaning down to tug at his arms. He felt like he was ten times the weight he’d ever been on any planet.

“There’s not a lot of time,” he said, hoping she’d understand.

“Which is why you need to move your ass.” Jyn squatted in front of him instead, shoving her arms under his armpits and basically hugging him, she tried hauling him to his feet, but he was dead weight. He hissed with overwhelming pain that was practically blinding, his legs refusing to function. They collapsed back to the sand in a heap.

Jyn got back up, wincing and holding her injured shoulder before she renewed her attempts to get Cassian onto his feet.

It was a herculean effort for his weary body, but he managed to grab her arm.

“Listen to me, Jyn.” She locked eyes with him, and the desperation and pain he found there stabbed him in the chest, hurting worse than his aching ribs. “You have to go. You have to leave me behind. There’s got to be others still alive out there. Find them, get off Scarif. Leave me here. It’s okay. I want you to leave me. Do you understand?”

“No,” she said. There was a ferocious passion in the depths of her eyes, the green gone all steel grey. Any argument he could possibly make, any plea for her to save herself would not be tolerated.

“You listen to me, Cassian Andor.” Her hands captured his face. Her fierceness took away what little breath he had. “We live together. Or we die together.”

This time when she grabbed him, somehow her small body managed to haul him up, maybe she’d somehow given him some of her strength, some of her unrelenting determination, because his legs held... mostly.

…

Present

Cassian found Jyn hiding in a storage room, sitting on a crate with her hands on her knees, doubled over, breathing in big, sobbing gulps of air. He could only stand there and stare in complete shock. Not even on the beach that day had he ever seen Jyn Erso so… such an emotional mess. Angry. Passionate. Vulnerable. Yes. All those things he had seen in her eyes. But this sort of tangible, physical reaction? It was jarring to witness.

And he hesitated. Never hesitate. It could cost lives, the lives of others, your own.

Rushing to her side, he dropped to his knees beside her, the hard ice floor’s impact mitigated by his thick thermal pants.

“Jyn, what is it? What’s wrong? Should I find a medic?”

He placed a hand on her leg, tried to get her to look at him, but she turned away, her breathing still disturbingly uneven, like she wasn’t getting enough oxygen.

“N-no,” she choked out. “Just- Just give me a m-minute.”

“Okay,” he said. “But I’m right here. If you need anything, I’m here.”

A sob escaped her, and then she gasped, continuing to struggle to breath, hyperventilating. Cassian just remained there, kneeling beside her, a previously unfamiliar agony tearing at him, watching Jyn suffer whatever it was she was enduring and unable to help her. But he’d stay there, by her side, forever, if she needed him to.

Her breathing gradually grew placid until she was taking deep, regulated draughts of air. And then those determined breaths evened out as well until she was finally breathing normally. And still he waited.

Jyn swore, wiping at her face before she turned to him, and oh, force, her cheeks were raw-looking with tear tracks staining her skin. There were dark circles under her eyes. She looked exhausted. As if she’d been awake, hunted, for a week. How did that happen in just half an hour or so?

“Can you tell me what’s going on?” Cassian asked. He wanted to know, needed to know, so, “Maybe I can help.”

She nodded but her eyes were bright, welling up with tears. This was Jyn Erso. It took a lot to make the woman cry.

“What is responsible for this? Did someone hurt you?” Cassian could hear his own accent thickening but didn’t care, becoming too agitated to focus on proper Basic pronunciations.

Jyn shook her head but said, “No. Yes… I… fuck. This is so embarrassing.”

“What is it, querida?” He took her hand and when she didn’t pull away, squeezed it, caressed her bare palm with his thumb, noting that her skin was getting cold and he should get her back closer to the core of the base where the temperature was more bearable. “You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

She nodded. And again, Cassian was struck by how vulnerable the woman was. She always had a deeply hurt portion of her soul, but she seemed incapable of letting it show, even to him. It wasn’t deluding himself, or an over-exaggeration. Cassian knew that her friendship with him was different than any other she’d had in her life. It was the same for him. They finally had someone they could trust wholeheartedly.

But he still held his breath, waiting for her to bestow that trust once again.

She looked down at her hands in his, then to his face, her weary eyes holding his gaze, searching for something.

“You haven’t realized it, yet, have you?” she asked. Cassian’s heart beat faster. Realized what? “Until your Intelligence briefing this morning, we hadn’t been more than an arm’s length apart since Scarif. And force, I’m having a fucking panic attack just at the thought of being separated from you. How ridiculous is that?”

Cassian’s mouth had gone dry. He swallowed and wet his lips before he could even contemplate speaking.

“It’s not ridiculous, Jyn.” Maybe he hadn’t realized why, but that uneasy feeling had been twisting his insides since he’d first left for his briefing. And now, now he couldn’t deny its cause.

Because Jyn was right. She’d basically dragged him bodily out of that massacre, off that cursed planet, held him as he drifted in and out of consciousness until he’d blacked out entirely, to wake up in the infirmary on Yavin 4 with Jyn sitting at his bedside, arms folded on the edge of his cot, supporting her head as she slept. And from there, she had been with him his entire recovery. She refused to leave the room when medical staff or droids checked on him, only turning her back to give him privacy. He hadn’t complained. He hadn’t objected. Even when she set up a bedroll in the corner of his quarters when he’d been released from the infirmary. Even when she wordlessly climbed into his bed to soothe his fitful, painful sleep, even when she helped him dress. And shower. And limp down the corridors to exercise his injured leg. And after he was basically as recovered as he was going to get, she stayed. Always by his side.

The memory that would always forever be seared into his existence slapped him in the face.

“We live together. Or we die together,” he whispered.

Jyn’s pupils dilated, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on his.

“I meant it,” she said quietly. “But I didn’t think…”

Her hand reflexively clutched at the front of her thermal jumpsuit, seeking the only possession she cared about, the only thing she had left of her mother, her father, the only thing she had that was her own, special. But hadn’t she realized?

She had him.

Cassian took a risk, slid his fingertips over her cheek, which was soft and smooth and warm against his doubtless chilled fingers. But she didn’t flinch from his cool touch. Rather, she leaned into his palm as he cupped her face.

“I know,” he said. And he did know, could see the knowledge of it in her eyes, as well. He didn’t much believe in the Force, and despite the kyber crystal perpetually around Jyn’s neck, she had had a hard life, was a survivor, with a practicality that ran so deep it had taken him, a heartless assassin to make her believe in hope again.

Sometimes, though… Okay, often, he felt like that blastwave had swept them away, disintegrated them on the submolecular level. And then somehow they’d reformed. But their atoms had been mixed up, and he was as much composed of her stardust as his own, and she of his.

It was fanciful. And completely unlike Cassian. The Before Cassian. But now, it was absolutely the way he felt. It was foolish to deny it. And from the way Jyn was looking at him...

He leaned in, his nose brushing hers, his lips feathering over hers as he hesitated, waited for any signal from her, acceptance, invitation, or rejection.

It was an exquisite, agonizing eternity.

But then Jyn sucked in a sharp breath, one of her small yet strong hands grabbing the front of his coat, the other the nape of his neck, fingers curling in his hair. She pulled him into her, her mouth crashing against, hard and hot, and needy. Aggressive and tender at the same time. An inextricable mess. It was how they were. It was who they were.

It was perfect.

…

A little bit later...

“You have concerns regarding the mission, Captain Andor?”

Cassian had managed to catch General Draven in the rare moment where the man was actually in his office, sitting at his desk, reviewing… who knew what… intelligence, battle plans… food reserves…

“I do, sir.”

Draven looked up. Cassian had never questioned an assignment before. He’d always been such a good little soldier-spy. Even though it had been costing him his very soul.

Still, even with the feeling of Jyn’s kisses freshly on his lips, the presence of her burned into his entire being, questioning orders made him nervous. Almost as nervous as allowing himself to have wants, a sense of self beyond what the Alliance had given him.

“Well, what is it, captain?”

“I need a partner.”

Draven frowned in thought. “If I recall… the assignment is best suited for a single operative.”

Cassian swallowed but looked his commanding officer straight in the eye. “Then I won’t be taking this assignment. Or any others for Alliance Intelligence. Not unless I can work with a partner.”

Draven stood, did a quick pace behind his desk before he fixed Cassian with a hard stare. “You would desert the Alliance over Jyn Erso?”

Cassian wet his lips. Revealing such personal, emotional aspects to himself was… entirely against his nature. Jyn did not count. She was simply an extension of himself.

“I would choose her.” Cassian held the man’s war-weary, hardened gaze that still somehow seemed to have an iota of softness about the edges. “I have chosen her.”

We live together. Or we die together.

“She’s my partner.”

Draven sighed, but inclined his head.

“I’ll update the rosters. Make whatever alterations to the mission outline you view fit.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I don’t know if you should be thanking me, Andor,” Draven said, but an elusive smirk flitted across his face.

Cassian did not hide his smile as he left, to find Jyn, and to tell her she was the newest member of the Alliance Intelligence unit.

[swanimagines]

What characters are you currently crushing on? (Or platonically if there aren't any) basically, who would make you happy for a one shot for your birthday?

AW???? I literally gasped and almost choked wtf???

(Also just a heads up if it isn’t too much to ask as I don’t know if you’re one of my moots/friends or someone who just wants to make my bday a little bit better, but if you usually write in first person, could you write in second or third person this one time? I hate first person in reader inserts and fiction in general to the extend that I'm too frustrated to read a piece written in first person and wouldn’t want you to write your oneshot in vain.)

I’m not crushing on anyone on this moment, romantically or platonically, as TMR Newt ended so abruptly OKAY SCRATCH THAT KAZ BREKKER HAS MY HEART NOW

I feel like Rupert Travis from Detroit: Become Human is slowly coming back but like DBH fandom is pretty much dying and almost nobody writes for him anyway so I don’t dare to ask him because I don’t know who you are and what characters do you know and the chances that you’d know my dearest birb boi are super small :D) but some of my all time faves I found years ago who still hold a place in my heart:

Heath Ledger’s Joker (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

Jerome Valeska (Gotham)

James Kidd/Mary Read (Assassin’s Creed 4)

Rupert Travis (Detroit: Become Human)

If those won’t match by you, here’s all my crushes along the years in general (I’ll still be your happy girl if you write something with them)

ROMANTIC:

Diaval (Maleficent)

James Kidd/Mary Read (Assassin’s Creed 4)

Wrench (Watch Dogs 2)

Cal Kestis (Star Wars)

Tennessee Kid Cooper (Sly Cooper)

John Murphy (The 100)

Rupert Travis (Detroit: Become Human)

Jerome Valeska (Gotham)

Sid (Gotham)

Ledger!Joker (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

Benny Watts (The Queen’s Gambit)

Kaz Brekker (Shadow and Bone)

PLATONIC:

Ralph (Detroit: Become Human)

Kurt Wagner (X-Men: Apocalypse)

Frodo Baggins (Lord of the Rings)

Zack Addy (Bones)

Cole (Dragon Age)

Newt (The Maze Runner)

But in case you still didn’t find anyone from those lists, you can pick one of these or a group, I’ll still be happy if you’ll write a fic with one of these!

Disney: Kida (from Atlantis), Nick Wilde (from Zootopia), Jasmine (from the new Aladdin) and Diaval (from Maleficent).

Watch Dogs: WD2 gang (Marcus, Sitara, Josh, Horatio, T-Bone and Wrench)!! Also Aiden is cool.

Stranger Things: Steve, Nancy, Robin, and (platonically) the kids.

Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Anakin Skywalker, Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, someone give Bodhi a hug, Rey Skywalker, Finn and Poe Dameron + the droids need hugs ♥

Titans: the main gang + Dawn and Donna

Gotham: Jerome Valeska

The Umbrella Academy: Hargreeves siblings + Lila Pitts

OUAT: Child Henry Mills, but I like a lot of characters in this show and can’t really say anyone from the main cast who I absolutely dislike??

The Maze Runner: The Gladers + Brenda.

MCU: I like pretty much everyone, but for example, I like Peter Parker, MJ, Carol Danvers and Rocket.

X-Men: (Young) Kurt Wagner, Peter Maximoff, (either version of) Storm and (young) Jean Grey.

The Witcher: Geralt, Jaskier, Yennefer and I want to give Ciri a big hug :(

Peaky Blinders: Still picking as to S1, but at the moment pretty much everyone.

Lucifer: Pretty much everyone from the main cast but if you need me to specify some anyway, then Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker, Mazikeen Smith, Ella Lopez and Linda Martin.

Julie and the Phantoms: The boys + Julie Molina

(And always remember that you aren’t obliged to do anything and I’ll be super happy even from a little note which reads Happy Birthday or something!!)

[wandasallerdyce]

NSFW Alphabet - Cassian Andor

Fandom: Star Wars

Pairing: Cassian Andor x Male! Reader

Requested: yes/no

Warning(s): Smut (duh), pure filth, some Spanish, some fluff, excessive use of fuck and cum

Notes: I wrote this listening to Twilight Time, a soft song. BYE-. But n e ways, here i am, feeding the gays once more. Hope you guys like this, please like and reblog if you do! Love y’all! (p.s. ugh, Diego looks so cute in this gif 😩)

(GIF not mine)

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Cassian will make sure that your okay and will run a warm bath for you. After, he’ll dress you in one of his shirts and cuddle with you in bed whispering how he loves you so much.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Cassian really loves your legs. He doesn’t understand why, but he finds them really attractive. Especially when they hold him in a headlock while he’s sucking you off.

There’s something attractive about his arms. You love holding them while he pounds into you at a brutal pace. There’ll be times where you’ll be running your hands up and down them while laying in bed.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Cassian LOVES cumming in your ass. Something about seeing it slide down your thighs turns him on even more and he goes for a second round. He also enjoys making you swallow his cum when he’s face fucking you.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Cassian loves when you give him nicknames during sex. A simple ‘C-Cas…’ or ‘sian!’ will instantly make him fuck you harder, wanting to give you the pleasure you deserve.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Cassian isn’t that experienced in the sex experience. He saw no use in one night stands and whatnot as he was always doing rebel work. So when he gets to fuck you for the first time, expect this boi to be nervous at first. He’ll be more open after a few fucks.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

This goes without saying, but he loves fucking you doggy style. Seeing your ass take his cock at that angle sends him over the edge and he’ll be shooting ropes of cum into your ass in no time.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Cassian will be serious at first, but after a few sessions, he’ll make a joke from here to there. His go to joke is about sucking him him in the cockpit of the ship cause, yknow, “cock”pit…

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Cassian has some light hair on his chest. Other than that, he’ll have a neat trail that leads to the goods. As for the… ahem, drapes down there, it’ll always be neatly trimmed.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Cassian is very intimate when it comes to fucking you. He’ll pepper your back with kisses, pull your hair so he can reach your lips, and praise you quietly in your ear

‘You’re taking my cock like a good boy, mi principe.’

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Cassian doesn’t have time to Jack off. He’s always busy with carrying out missions for the rebels. Yet, when you’re gone on a mission for too long and he’s frustrated, he’ll rub one out to images of your guys’ past fucks.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

This man LOVES spanking, don’t even get me started. You don’t pay attention to him that much today? He’ll bend you over his lap and spank you until your ass is red with his handprint. Disobeyed his orders? Count to 20 as he spanks you. Basically, anything that has to do with spanking, he’s up for.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Being the classy man that he is, he prefers to fuck you in his quarters. That way, you can be as loud as you want as he’s ramming into you from behind.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

If you really want Cassian to fuck you instantly, wear pants that are super tight. He loves seeing the shape of your legs. He’ll be right behind you in no time pressing his hardened cock against your ass.

‘Trying to turn me on, hermoso? Well, it’s working.’

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Cassian would never try choking. He hates seeing his hands wrapped around your neck. He feels as if he’s hurting you in a way. He wants to make sure your as comfortable as you can be.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Cassian loves receiving. He loves it when you run your tongue over the veins on his cock. When you hollow your cheeks to suck him even harder, he feels like he dies and goes to wherever the good people go. Sometimes he’ll give you a blowjob if you’ve had a stressful day. Other than that, he’s the one always reviving.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Cassian is usually fast and rough while he’s fucking you. He loves having you moaning his name as he pounds into you at such a brutal pace and seeing your eyes roll to the back of your head. On some days, he’ll be more romantic and go at an even pace and kiss you a whole lot.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

At first, he was reluctant to have a quickie. That was until you dragged him into a storage closet and sucked him off so fast, he felt as if you were going at light speed. Ever since then, he’s fucked you in corridors and anywhere he could find that was secluded. He especially loves fucking you on his ship when no ones around. They don’t call it a cockpit for nothing (alright I’ll stop).

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

As stated before, he’s hesitant at first. But, eventually he opens up more. If you guys are on a mission in the forest, expect to be holding onto a tree as he drives his cock into you. If you guys are spying from a canyon, expect your back to meet rock.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Cassian can go for 4 rounds at least. All his pent up anger will be released on you. And he’ll cum huge loads all four rounds you’ll feel so full.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Cassian doesn’t see the point of toys. He thinks their useless.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

If he’s in a kinky mood, he’ll be teasing you a fair amount. He’ll finger your ass and pull out as quick as he can, having you beg for his cock. Other times, he’ll have you craving his cum. He’ll pull out of your mouth right before he has to cum and have you pouting for his cum that you so desperately want to swallow.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Cassian isn’t really loud as he prefers to hear your moans of pleasure and ecstasy. But, if you tighten around his Vick just enough, he’ll be moaning loudly.

‘Fuck, principe, you really know how to get a guy going.’

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Cassian loves it when you compliment him on how good he’s fucking you. He loves making you feel good and making sure your having fun with him

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Cassian has a nice, thick, 7.5 inch cock down there. He has some veins that decorate his cock that you love to lick.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Cassian doesn’t have that much of a sex drive as he’s always busy with plans for the rebels. But if he’s alone with you and on vacation, throw all that out the window.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Cassian will stay up until you fall asleep which isn’t that long, but even then, he’ll stay awake for a few more minutes and wonder how he’s the luckiest guy in the galaxy for being with you

FIN

[sassysnowperson]

💖 your angstiest nightmare fic please

Send me a 💖 and I'll share a fic idea I've had but never written.

Oh...dear. This is not my normal playground. But, that said (evil grin and plotty fingers) good excuse to have some fun. 

Alright, I’ve spent some time thinking about universes where Rogue One survives (don’t worry, it’ll get terrible, just give me a second), and those terrifying days when the plans are lost, nobody knows where Leia is. Like, how miserable would that be? You do all that, and then maybe it’s all for nothing, because the person who got your message got scooped up by Imperial soldiers. 

What if she never comes back? 

You see where I’m going with this, I’m sure. 

It got a little long, so the juicy details are under the cut. (TW Death, War Crimes, implied torture) 

Luke, Han, and Obi-Wan die before they ever rescue Leia. Jabba’s men rig the Falcon to explode, their infiltration scheme fails, SOMETHING happens and bam, they’re gone. Last of the Old Jedi, gone, first of the New Jedi, also gone. Leia’s trapped, and Tarkin has a fully functional battle station with no known weakness. 

And just to make it worse, lets say not everyone made it off of Scarif. Cassian’s gotta live, that man is Pain of Survival made manifest, it’s way worse if he doesn’t manage to sacrifice himself. Kay dies. Jyn too. And...Chirrut. Yes, I think that’s the worst combination. We’ve got guilt-ridden Cassian, traumatized Bodhi, and a completely bereft Baze who lost everything and it counted for *nothing.* Jedha’s still gone. Alderaan too. 

They broke ranks, stole half the alliance’s best personnel and then lost half the alliance’s fleet, and they *failed*. The Rebellion tosses them in a jail cell, and figures they’ll decide what to do with the turncoats later. 

Now, the upside is, there’s no Falcon to track back to Yavin, so Yavin has until Leia breaks. It’s enough time to evac, at least. 

Leia does break, eventually, I’m sure. There’s only so long anyone can hold out, when every lie she tells about where the base is means another planet, gone. Mon Cala, Chandrilla, Nab- 

Tarkin changes his mind about Naboo. He’s rubbing at his throat for weeks after. 

The Empire runs the galaxy, and there is. no. hope. 

Except. 

Cassian spends the first four hours of his imprisonment carefully drafting a mission report (on flimsi, they don’t trust him with a datapad). And in there is what Erso reported to him. There is a weakness. Somewhere in the core. The plans would show how to access it. But even without the plans...a sufficient explosion, detonated inside the core, should still do it. 

Cassian throws himself into planning the mission, scribbling it out on whatever he can get his hands on. He looks more than half-mad. Bodhi feels the failure as entirely personal. He feels helpless, he’s only made everything worse, and the universe  didn’t even have the decency to kill him for it. 

There isn’t anything he could do in the universe to do right by himself, but he drags the tattered remains of his consciousness together and helps where he can. Ship patrols, comm codes, standard battle station layouts. Baze, from his haze of grief and rage, spits curses and little else, at first. But eventually he realizes there’s some solace in vengeance, and he joins in. Squad makeup and weaponry and everything he knew from his dealings with Guerra. 

“Could use him, now,” Baze says, sounding almost regretful.

“He knows how to fight,” Cassian agrees.

Bodhi just flinches.  

They look like madmen, and their guards judge them as such. 

They’re not separated, though. And one month later Draven throws open the door of the cell and says, “Come on, then.” 

Cassian just gets up and follows immediately. Bodhi moves like a whipped dog, expecting to be struck. Cassian turns to him and says, his face made of granite and his eyes entirely blank, “If they were going to kill us, they would have killed us. They’re either going to offer us up to the Empire as a peace treaty, or put us to work.” 

“Please don’t say that first suggestion too loud, Andor,” Draven says, sounding pained. “I’ve kept you in the cell this long so they wouldn’t be tempted to lynch or sell you.” 

Bodhi, inexplicably, is relieved by that. It makes the sort of heartless sense he’s grown to expect from his superior officers. 

The Rebellion is almost entirely ship-based at this point. The remnants of the Mon Cal have nothing left to lose, and their fleet is turned to the Rebellion’s purpose. They are jumping frantically to stay ahead of the Empire that’s burning every safe place to the ground, struggling to find food and fuel and allies that would dare to provide either. It’s a desperate, hungry time, as they plan the counter-strike. 

Leia was right, though. The more Tarkin tightened his grip, the more people slip through his fingers. The Rebellion becomes a feral thing, full of soldiers who have already lost all there is to lose. 

The counter-strike isn’t neat, or elegant. It’s an ugly trojan-horse of a ground crew, Bodhi knew enough about the Empire’s transport logistics to sneak the soldiers in, along with enough explosives to blow up the moon the the Death Star wasn’t. It’s a slog of a firefight, but they punch their way through, into the core, and they wire up the explosives as quickly as they can. 

Next to Cassian, a young tech (seventeen when the Empire blew up her world) starts twitching, choking. Cassian looks up to find a black, looming figure silhouetted in the doorway, holding a shimmering red blade. 

Whatever charges they have, they need to set them, now. Cassian is reaching for the switch when a second red blade emerges, this time from the center of the figure’s chest. He collapses with mechanical moan, revealing a slim young woman, clad all in black, behind him. 

“Captain Andor,” Leia Organa calls as she steps into view. “Apologies for the dramatics, I’m afraid I’ve grown accustomed to using what I have on hand. If you can set those on a delay timer, I’ve secured our exit.” 

Leia is gaunt, sharper than Cassian remembers her. Well, they all are, these days. He dips his head. “I’ll remain behind to ensure they go. Please, do take my team.” 

“No,” Baze says, laying his hand on Cassian’s shoulder. “It’s me.” 

Cassian looks at the depth of loss in Baze’s eyes, and the grim determination there too. Cassian knows this is one battle he won’t win. 

“Of course,” he says, inclining his head. “May the Force be with you.” The words feel alien in his mouth, and Baze flinches. 

“Fuck the Force,” Baze declares. “I’ll be with me.” But then he freezes, and Cassian wonders if he’s hearing the same thing, I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. 

“Of course,” Cassian says again, and Baze gives him a crooked smile. 

“Raze their empire,” Baze orders. 

“I will,” Cassian says, and it’s a promise he intends to keep. 

He leaves, the last of his team to go, and Leia guides them all to the shuttles. They escape. 

Cassian hadn’t planned for an escape. His heart is in his throat as he watches the station, still whole, still whole, and then - white sears across his retinas, and he flinches away from the sight, even as he’s sobbing with the joy of it. He hears Bodhi on his right, breathing slow and steady for the first time since Cassian’s  known him. Leia, on his left, just gives a satisfied grunt.  

Cassian doesn’t look up, so he never sees the way Leia’s eyes don’t flinch away from the explosion. He doesn’t ever wonder why, if the light from the death star is so white it’s shading it to blue, Leia’s eyes are burning gold. 

[myriadimagines]

Off Limits

Star Wars (Rogue One) One Shot

Pairing: Reader x Cassian Andor

Other Characters: Bodhi Rook, Baze Malbus, Jyn Erso, Chirrut Imwe,  K-2SO

Warnings: —

Summary: You and your husband, Cassian, maintain a very professional relationship in front of your team. So professional, in fact, poor Bodhi, who has a crush on you, doesn’t even realise the two of you are married.

Original: Sorry Bodhi, She’s Off Limits

Word Count: 2,196

A/N: ALRIGHT LETS GO IT’S THE REWRITE SERIES!!! for those of u who missed my little rant, i’m basically just going back and rewriting all my one shots bc i hate them!!! and hopefully if i rewrite them i’ll hate them a little less!!!! anyway this was one of the first pieces i wrote when i started this blog, and then it kinda blew up and i got a lot of followers/rogue one requests so honestly? this piece started it all. enjoy. 

reblog/feedback/comments are very much appreciated!!!

“You guys should’ve seen it,” Bodhi gushes, and he gestures excitedly with his hands, waving them through the air as he mimics Imperial ships, complete with his own sound effects to fully retell the story. Baze barely looks up from where he’s sitting, polishing his gun while Jyn leans back in her chair, kicking her feet up onto the table as an amused smile dances across her lips. She hums in agreement every now and then, making faces of exaggerated shock whenever Bodhi looks in her direction, more entertained by Bodhi’s enthusiasm than his actual story. Chirrut sits with them, nodding along with a bright smile on his face, eagerly listening to the young pilot’s excited ramblings, and Bodhi continues, “They were right on my tail, TIE fighters were swarming in—”

The crew looks up as the door slides open with a soft mechanic whoosh, and Bodhi practically chokes on his own words as he sees you step inside. Baze smirks, immediately looking across the table at Jyn, who returns his knowing smile. Even Chirrut can’t help but let out a quiet chuckle, and Bodhi trails off, suddenly becoming incomprehensible as he quietly stammers something. Looking around at your friends, you greet, “Hey guys, what are you talking about?”

Jyn swings her legs off the table, leaning over to give Bodhi a nudge. Barely holding back her laughter, she responds, “We were just listening to Bodhi’s harrowing story about his latest mission, weren’t we, Bodhi?”

You smile, turning to look at Bodhi with an arched brow, and Bodhi can feel his cheeks getting hot. Shaking his head, he nervously chuckles, “I… I wouldn’t say it was harrowing, it was… it was just—”

“Oh, no need to be modest.” Jyn interrupts, and Bodhi internally curses Jyn, knowing exactly what she’s doing. Waving her hand, she insists, “Come on, Bodhi, finish the story.”

Before Bodhi can try to change the subject, you’ve already sat down, leaning your elbows against the table as you wait for Bodhi to talk. His lips wobble into a smile, his heart hammering inside his chest as he can’t look away from you. And when you look at him like that, with your smile that could fuel entire solar systems, how could he possibly remain calm? 

Thankfully, the door opens again, and Bodhi lets out a relieved sigh, grateful for another distraction to stop him from having to continue his story. His relief is short lived though, as he looks up to see Cassian and K2 step inside, and Cassian’s eyes survey the scene. Bodhi gulps, shrinking in his seat as he pointedly avoids eye contact with Cassian, and he can feel the stoic captain’s gaze on him. The past few weeks have been filled with an unexplainable tension between the two, one that Bodhi can’t quite understand. He doesn’t know what he’s doing wrong, and has mentally torn apart every interaction he’s exchanged with Cassian in hopes of finding an answer. 

Bodhi sneaks up a glance at Cassian, who stares at him, lips pressed into a flat line. Bodhi can’t even decipher the expression on Cassian’s face — disappointment? Frustration? Maybe even anger? Whatever it is, Cassian looks away, turning to face you as he asks, “Are you busy?”

“Well, Bodhi was just telling us about his latest mission,” you gesture to Bodhi, who holds his breath as Cassian glances in his direction again. 

“I see.” Cassian curtly responds after a pause. Cassian takes in a deep breath, before nodding towards the door, “Can I speak to you in private, please?” 

You hesitate, studying Cassian’s faces, trying to figure out if it’s for professional or personal matters. You let out a short sigh before finally getting up from your seat, almost laughing at yourself at the fact that despite many years of being married, you still can’t quite read your husband as well as you’d like. You make your way towards the door, but not before looking over your shoulder and telling Bodhi, “Next time I see you, I better hear that story!” 

Bodhi forces out a laugh, knowing that Cassian is watching him, and he watches as Cassian trails behind you as the two of you leave. The door slides shut, and Bodhi finally feels as though he can breathe again, slumping down into his seat as he shakes his head at himself. He yelps as Jyn suddenly reaches over to punch his arm, and he exclaims, “What?”

“I can’t believe, after all this time, you refuse to ask y/n out.” Jyn scoffs, and Bodhi lets out a loud, embarrassed groan. He can’t help but feel more embarrassed as even Baze pointedly sets down his gun to join in on the conversation, him and Chirrut nodding agreement. Jyn points at the pair, noting their support, as she continues, “See? I’m not the only one who thinks so.”

The four of them are too engrossed in conversation to notice K2 jerk back upon hearing your name. Shaking his head, he raises a finger, “I don’t think tha—”

“Please stop talking about this.” Bodhi cuts K2 off, burying his face in his hands, not wanting to look up at his friends, and Jyn snorts. “This is so embarrassing.” 

“Your feelings are nothing to be ashamed of, Bodhi,” Chirrut pipes, and Jyn nods in agreement. “We can’t control who we fall in love with.”

“If I might interject—” K2 tries to speak up again, but Jyn waves her hand in front of the droid’s face, much to his annoyance. Swatting her hand away, K2 snaps, “Don’t shush me!”  

“I’m not going to ask her out,” Bodhi shakes his head, and Jyn groans as she ignores K2. “I can’t! There’s—”

“If I could just get a single word in, I think I might have something valuable to say.” K2 finally yells, raising his voice as everyone turns to look at him. Bodhi’s eyebrows furrow, and Jyn rolls her eyes.

“I doubt a droid could help with romantic advice.” she points out, and K2 stares at her, thinking of close to a hundred comebacks he could possibly respond with. 

“No, I want to hear what K2 has to say.” Bodhi says, and Jyn turns to glare at him. Bodhi pauses, before shaking his head, wincing, “Wait, actually, I don’t. You’re just going to tell me my odds are close to zero.” 

“Well, they are.” K2 deadpans, and everyone collectively groans in disappointment. K2 looks over at everyone, before continuing, “I thought you would all know the reason why, but I suppose I’m overestimating your intelligence. Do none of you actually know that y/n and Cassian are together?”

Bodhi is too much in shock to even deal with his crushing disappointment upon hearing his odds with you. He looks around the table, seeing the same shock in Jyn, Baze and Chirrut’s faces, and Jyn splutters, “What? y/n and Cassian?” 

“Yes, y/n and Cassian.” K2 impatiently confirms. “They’ve been married for almost five years now.”

“Married?” Bodhi squeaks, his head spinning. Everything slowly starts falling into place as Bodhi thinks back to all of your interactions with Cassian. And suddenly, it dawns on him, the answer that he’s been searching for. If Jyn, Chirrut, and even Baze noticed his crush on you, it most definitely would’ve been noticed by Cassian.

And Bodhi can imagine how unamused Cassian must be at the fact that another guy, who’s part of his crew, has a crush on his wife. 

Bodhi jolts up from his seat. “I need to apologise. Oh man, I… I need to find Cassian.” 

Bodhi’s brain is scrambling as he tries to figure out what to do, what to say. Jyn looks up at him in alarm, and everyone watches as Bodhi rushes for the door, swiftly exiting the room. After a pause, Jyn gets up, and K2 asks, “And where do you think you’re going?”

“Well, I don’t know about you guys,” Jyn makes her way to the door. “But I would love to see how this all goes down.”

She raises an eyebrow, and after a pause, Baze, Chirrut and K2 all get up to join her.

—

You let out a loud scoff, leaning up against the table as you turn to face Cassian. Folding your arms across your chest, you ask, “Is this why you brought me in here? I thought it was something important.” 

Cassian blinks at you, clearly offended. “This is important.”

“That Bodhi has a crush on me? Which is wrong, by the way,” you point an accusatory finger at Cassian, who resists the urge to roll his eyes. Laughing, you insist, “We’re just friends!”

“That’s how you see it.” Cassian points out, and your hand falls to your side. Your eyebrows furrow as you notice your husband getting increasingly worked up, and he continues, “Do you not see the way he acts around you? He—”

“Hey, hey,” you reach out to grab Cassian’s hands, pulling you towards him, and Cassian takes a deep breath, composing himself. He relaxes at your touch, and you guide his hands around your waist before looping your arms around his neck. Gently smiling at him, you reassure him, “There’s no need to be jealous. Whatever Bodhi’s feelings are, so be it. But I love you, and only you, and that’s all that matters.” 

Cassian nods a small smile appearing on his face as he presses his forehead against yours. You can’t help but giggle as your noses touch, and he leans in to kiss you, hands roaming under the hem of your shirt as you pull him closer, running your hands through his hair. And in the moment, everything feels perfect and blissful, finally having some privacy together in the midst of your hectic day.

Until the door hisses open, and you hear someone utter a startled curse.

You and Cassian jump apart, and you quickly adjust your clothes before realising Bodhi is standing in the doorway, face red as he stares between you and Cassian, mouth parted but no words coming out. You and Cassian’s faces grow hot from being caught, and Bodhi cringes at himself as he feels as though he’s making one wrong move after the other.

Finally, Cassian clears his throat, “What do you want, Bodhi?”

“It’s, uh, nothing,” Bodhi stammers, barely able to form sentences. Trying to back out of the room, he continues, “I… I didn’t mean to interrupt, we- we can just talk later—”

“Here he is.” Jyn’s voice announces her presence before she appears, and she practically slams into Bodhi as he tries to run out the door. She stumbles back into Baze and Chirrut, who bump into K2, who doesn’t budge, and everyone quickly regains their balance upon noticing you and Cassian inside the room. 

“Well, seeing as you brought the whole crew with you, you might as well just say what you want to say.” Cassian grumbles, and Bodhi’s expression crumples. He attempts to square his shoulders, turning to face Cassian fully, but not before sneaking a glance over at you.

“I’m so sorry about everything. I had no idea you and y/n were together.” Bodhi finally blurts, the words coming out so fast you and Cassian can barely process what he’s saying. Bodhi holds his breath, studying Cassian’s expression, and the two of you exchange a glance before Cassian lets out a heavy sigh.

“I appreciate the apology, Bodhi. I know you didn’t mean any harm.” Cassian relaxes, his expression softening. Bodhi lets out a sigh of relief, and Cassian holds his hand out to you. You take it, giving it a squeeze, and Cassian shoots Bodhi a stern look before adding, “But, just so we’re clear, y/n is off limits.” 

“Understood. Off limits, absolutely.” Bodhi nods, flustered, and you flash him a small smile. 

Cassian looks past Bodhi to the rest of the crew. Raising an eyebrow, he sarcastically asks, “Did anyone else come to confess anything?”

After a moment of silence, Jyn pipes up, “Well, I just wanted to say that I think you and y/n make a lovely couple. You’re made for each other, honestly.”

“Okay, out.” Cassian shakes his head, ushering everyone back out of the room as you can’t help  but laugh. After managing to clear the room, you tilt your head with a knowing smile as you watch Cassian make sure to lock the door on the keypad. He turns, making his way back over to you as he says, “Hopefully there won’t be any more interruptions.”

“I like the sound of that.” you tease, grabbing the collar of Cassian’s jacket to pull him closer. He pushes you back against the desk, hands resting on your hips as you lean forward, closing the distance between your faces to gently kiss him. “I guess you were right about Bodhi, then.”

“I’m always right.” Cassian responds as he kisses you back, and he grins as you playfully try to shove him away. Feigning innocence, he asks, “What?” 

“Don’t push it.” you warn him, barely holding back a laugh, and Cassian chuckles before leaning forward to kiss you again, his smile radiant against your own.

tag list: @proudchocolateaddict​ / @myfriendmagislit​ / @dragon4123​ / @fire--pheonix​ / @gofandomsandotherstuff​ / @natalia-helena-alianova-romanov / @fairytalesforever​ / @emmacata​ / @hauntedpocdreamer / @fangirlsarah16​ / @adaleya​ / @floup-doodles​ / @batfam16​ / @tonystarkshomeoflostkiddos​ / @lotsoffandomrecs​ / @ruvaakke​ / @911buttercup​ / @azeret-mirror​ / @randomfandomimagine​ / @lotrfics​ / @locke-writes​ / @lovinghufflepuffgirl​ / @lxncelot​ / @captainshazamerica​​ / @ta-ka-shi-ma​​

[tarabyte3]

I Want You to Show Me Weak

Fandom: Andor

Pairing: Kino Loy/F!Reader

Chapter 4/27 (2.5k words)

->start at chapter 1<-

<- Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 ->

Summary: You're pretty sure Kino Loy hates you. He screams at you, grabs you, and shoves you against the wall, and it's becoming a problem because, well...it shouldn't fluster you as much as it does.

Warnings: Explicit rating, Smut, Prison, Prison sex, minor non-graphic injuries, Dom/Sub, sexual tension, dirty talk, praise, hair-pulling, light choking, unprotected sex, oral, angst

A/N: This chapter has some very sexy angst. Work title is from "Poison" by Vaults. Chapter title is from "#1 Crush" by Garbage. Previous chapter links up above.

AO3 Link

Chapter 4 - I will burn for you, feel pain for you. I will twist a knife and bleed my aching heart

You behave. For almost a week. If not for your own sake, then for your table's. Because Threl's words really stuck with you and you find yourself regarding all of them with a new appreciation. You even say thank you to Edii a few times when he routinely passes you something. The first few times he looks bewildered, but then he starts giving you a nod of acknowledgement afterwards. He also starts looking up when people talk, like he's paying attention. It's easier to include him in conversation now, to look at him when you talk, even if he is still quiet and doesn't respond.

Your hand is also healing, your table falls into an easy routine, and Taybus has finally given up trying to irritate non-existent details out of you about a potential boyfriend. Though you notice him spying on you when he thinks you aren't looking, like you might slip up and reveal you're having a passionate love affair with someone. You pretend to be as boring as possible just to annoy him and are pleased when it works.

Yeah, pretend.

But you think getting in trouble is an inevitability at this point. Because you know opening your mouth certainly is. If there's one thing you can always count on, it's the unreliability of your brain to kick in before you open your mouth.

It happens when you're fighting with a part. The pin on the joint gets jammed, which happens pretty often, but this one is stiff and won't move, and you're getting irritated. As you're struggling to wedge it in, Kino appears at your side to watch.

"Twist it, sometimes that loosens it." He instructs.

"I know." You try twisting it again, and it's so close. You can feel it shifting, but it won't clear enough to slip the joint cylinder in.

Kino moves a little closer to look over your shoulder, and his presence is distracting. You're trying to focus on the task, but it's impossible to focus when he's right there. When you can feel him at your side. Along your shoulder. His breath on your neck.

"You have to twist from an angle—"

"I know what I'm doing!" You snap at him. He tenses beside you and Alis warily looks up at you from the other side of the joint.

You regret it immediately. You were just so overwhelmed.

"I'm sor—"

"Hall. Now." He steps to the side so you can pass, and you stand there perplexed for a moment because this is new. Why does he want you to go to the hallway to get yelled at? When you aren't moving fast enough, he barks out, "Now!" causing you to jump.

You give your table one last nervous look before scurrying towards said hallway. You notice Sorrek appears distressed and is speaking quickly to Threl, who in turn is shrugging and shaking his head. The rest watch you go with apprehension. Except Edii. Edii doesn't seem to care what's happening. If only you could be more like Edii.

You can hear Kino behind you. The hard, angry fall of his bare feet on the hall floor and the swoosh of his uniform as he moves. You can also feel his eyes sweeping across your back like a physical caress, and your neck both tingles and bristles. You stop halfway down the hall, but he simply points to the large alcove that holds the bathrooms and extra water tubes for breaks instead. You take a steady breath to prepare yourself and then reluctantly step into it. Around the corner, you can no longer see out into the open floor. Which means no one can see you. There's a pit of dread in your stomach.

"Kino, what am I—"

Before you can finish your sentence, he seizes you by the jaw. His fingers are like a vice on either side of your face and they dig into your cheeks, just on the threshold of pain. You don't have the time or mental capacity to react because he's glaring at you, and it's the most enraged you've ever seen him. Then he slowly draws you closer while your heart rate skyrockets, and it's mortifying to know he can probably feel it.

"What did I say about talking back to me?" His words curl dangerously around your face. Not just his breath, but his warmth as well. And to your horror, your body is responding with enthusiasm. Your lips part, your eyes become lidded with arousal, your back arches just enough that your breasts lightly brush his chest, and a nearly inaudible whine escapes your throat. He quite literally has you in the palm of his hand, completely at the mercy of his touch.

You're already panting and squirming when you respond, "To never do it again."

"That's right." His gruff voice is low, almost a purr. "You didn't listen, did you?"

"No," you whimper. "I'm sorry."

"Are you going to behave?" In his proximity, his nose brushes against yours and you desperately need him to do something. Scream, choke, push, kiss, something because your body is on fire and you burn. You need.

But it's Kino, you tell yourself. The man that hates you. That man that has embarrassed you and yelled at you. How could you want Kino Loy? But your traitorous body and mind won't listen because it's Kino. The man that leaves you undone and bewildered with a single touch. And with his hand on your jaw, you finally realize what has been burrowing and growing inside of you for some time now: you want him.

"Yes, Kino." It comes out as a sob and a plea. You squeeze your thighs together, seeking any pressure to bring relief to the wetness between your legs. Then you silently pray to any God listening that it looks as though you're just ashamed at being in trouble again and he has no idea you're so fucking aroused by what he's doing. By him. You can't imagine how disgusted he would be if he knew. How angry.

"Good." He murmurs against your mouth. If you flicked your tongue out to lick your lips, you know you'd graze his lips as well, and the thought has you feeling horrified and even more turned on.

You're also furious.

You were content to go on working and getting yelled at, oblivious to and irritated by this man. Now that glass is completely shattered. You'll never be able to go back to your life before or be unaware of him again. You'll never be able to look at him and not think about his hand gripping your face or him pressing you against the wall in anger. You'll never not want him, and now you have to fucking suffer alone and in silence. It's bad enough that you're forced into labor in prison, but you have to add yearning for someone that hates you on top of that? It's not fucking fair.

Then you think about all of your interactions and everything he's said to you, and it occurs to you why he's doing this: He knows. He knows he knows he knows he knows—and he's doing this on purpose to punish you. Because he hates you. He doesn't want you back, he's trying to break you.

This is hell.

"Can I go now?" Your voice cracks in anguish, but you can't bring yourself to care. This has been humiliating and you just want to cry. But not in front of him.

He releases you immediately, and you stumble for balance because you aren't expecting him to just let you go. You quickly take a step back, groping for the wall, trying to put distance between you like a scared animal. You can't handle being close to him anymore. He watches you impassively, like this meant less than nothing to him, and that hurts even more. With a sniffle, you draw yourself up with as much dignity as you can muster.

"I'll be quiet. I'm sorry." Then you turn around and walk back up the hall without waiting for a response, all while fighting the urge to run.

When you head back onto the floor, you know your face is red, your shoulders have hunched with every step like you're trying to make yourself as small as possible, and there are tears in your eyes because it's becoming harder to fight them off. Especially as everyone watches you walk by. You also know they'll think you just got your ass chewed so hard that you cried, so they won't even bother to consider the truth of what just happened. Of how fractured you truly are.

Your table looks at you with sympathy and apprehension when you step into your spot, but you don't meet their eyes. You can't. It'll be too much. You expect Threl or Sorrek to speak first, but it's Edii that puts his hand on your shoulder, which is a surprise to everyone.

"You are okay?" You turn to him in shock. He still doesn't look particularly concerned, but you just know that's what this is. Edii does like you. And apparently it's also the last straw because your face breaks and the tears finally fall with a choked cry.

"No," you sob. You pick up the wrench and wipe your nose on your sleeve. "Let's just get back to work."

Edii gives you an awkward arm rub like the one he's seen Sorrek do many times before to comfort someone, and the gesture is oddly calming. You finally get the nerve to glance around at everyone else, and it's about what you expected. Taybus looks uncomfortable, Alis and Jevid look worried, Threl looks more worried, and Sorrek's eyes are watery. They're all still staring at you. Edii is the only one back to tightening a bolt.

"Please. Can we please just work?" You beg them quietly.

One by one, they return to what they're doing, albeit reluctantly. You assume Kino has come back into the room at some point, but you refuse to look up or glance around. So you keep your head down the rest of the shift and continue fighting tears of humiliation for the next several hours.

After your shift, Threl gets in line behind you at the very back. You'd been trying to hide behind Edii, who is usually last since table 7 is at the end, to make yourself as unassuming as possible. Apparently it hadn't worked. You do your best to ignore him because you know what's about to happen, and you'd rather not.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks softly.

"No," you say without turning around.

"Please tell me you'll at least be okay."

You whip around to look up into his face, and give him a vacant stare. "No."

"Damn." His warm face falls from concerned to somber. "What happened?"

"He really hates me, Threl," is all you can say because you don't know how to explain what happened. How you liked it and how it broke your heart at the same time.

His brows knit together in confusion. "No he doesn't."

"Yes he does." Your voice breaks slightly and you press your lips together to keep from crying again. You know he wants to pull you into a hug, but he doesn't. You're not supposed to touch in line up.

"Listen, I don't know what went on between you today, but based on everything I've seen and every conversation I've had with him, I really don't think that's true."

You open your mouth to protest, but you can see Kino coming in from the work floor after closing the shift, and you quickly avert your eyes to the ground. Threl turns to look and you can tell he's gesturing and trying to be subtle about it. You can't imagine the exchange of glances that happens between the two of them, or what silent conversation they have just beyond your awareness, but neither man says anything and Kino doesn't stop.

Once he's passed, you look up at Threl with fresh tears. "He hates me." Your voice is so small and you feel so vulnerable and you hate it. You hate it, but you can't help it because you trust this man to be kind and you're so broken right now. "Why does he hate me?"

Threl must see something on your face or hear what it is you're actually saying because his jaw drops and his eyes widen in understanding. "Oh." He breaks the rules and puts a hand on your shoulder. "He's why you asked about…"

You nod, finally ready to admit it to yourself. "I'm such a fucking idiot."

"You're not an idiot." He looks around and lowers his voice. "Maybe you have a weird way of becoming attracted to someone, but you're not an idiot. And I know that man, trust me, he doesn't hate you. He's…" He trails off helplessly because he doesn't know what else to say.

You don't say anything more because Threl didn't see. Not like you did. He doesn't have the context. And you wonder if he might change his mind on the idiot thing if he did.

For the next week, you barely speak or smile. You work, you shower, you push your food around on your plate, and you curl up in your cot with your back to your cell opening.

Sometimes you can feel Sorrek watching you. You can sense how much he wants to do something to help other than give you a hug when no one's looking and tell you that you can talk to him. Which you appreciate, but you don't think he'll understand this. At least not without combusting from embarrassment. Besides, who wants to talk to their surrogate dad about how badly they still want to fuck their boss, even though he hates them? Instead, you want to turn and comfort him. To tell him you'll be okay, but you also don't want to lie to him because you're fucking miserable.

You've avoided Kino as much as you possibly can, which is not easy to do in such a small space. At least keeping your mouth shut hasn't given him any reason to interact with you. Right now you're really hoping that with time and distance, you'll finally forget what it feels like to have his hand on your jaw or have his nose brush gently against yours. To know how easy it would have been to tilt your head and capture his mouth. The thought fills you with arousal and humiliation, and you aren't positive the humiliation doesn't also fill you with arousal.

And you hate yourself for it. You want to hate him, too, for making you feel this way. For treating you like shit just to get you to do what he wants. To punish you. But you can't, and how pathetic is that? Instead you just stroke your jaw and weep quietly into the evening.

[A/N: For this chapter I was inspired by these two pictures. Because my bisexual ass saw the opportunity to combine my massive crushes on Gwendoline Christie and Andy Serkis and I took it. And I regret nothing!]

NEXT CHAPTER->

[cjstalkingstarwarsagain]

hi! i’ve recently decided to rewatch all the star wars movies and take notes on them and then,,, share them with you. so if you’re even mildly interested in my star wars opinions, here you go :)

i’ll divide it into a couple categories so,,,

well start with rogue one!!

shit that made me giggle

"oh look, here’s lyra back from the dead. it’s a miracle."

everything K2 says and does. i love him and he’s perfect.

i love the continuous attempts by K2 to appear imperial and how he fails every time. not a single storm trooper or officer ever believes him when he starts running his mouth.

so sorry but bohdi getting his cable caught and trying to shake it loose is such an adorably human moment. makes me giggle every time.

i honestly thought this section would be longer, this movie made me laugh a bunch. 

stuff i don’t like or doesn’t make sense

why does jyn start believing in the rebellion? there’s no indication that she cared before they found her. there’s no real turning point that we can see. she just,,, suddenly is really into this shit. which is strange because the only reason she ever joined was because she was given a non-choice (either help or get put back in prison). i guess i can kinda see how her father dying could have changed her, but we see none of that on the ship after his death. we just get to the rebel council and all of a sudden she’s the poster girl for rebellion.

saw seems really stable at the beginning of the film, so why did he go seemingly crazy and paranoid? it’s probably explained in the novelization but that’s no excuse to just have a character go crazy with really no explanation or backstory.

that being said, a lot of the character development is pretty lacking. i don’t think i’d care about these characters nearly as much if i wasn’t already a star wars fan.

video game cut scene style general tarkin

bor gullet is supposed to make you lose your mind but bohdi was pretty much fine after like,,, a day

how does the death star,,,, move?? like i know it can but has that ever been explained? is it like little thrusters? like the ones you can see in real life to stabilize things in space? there’s nothing i can visually see. i’m not mad about it i just wanna know.

why does saw insist on staying behind? why doesn’t he come and help?? it would have been so easy to just leave but he insists on staying behind and just watching as death inches closer. i think it doesn’t make sense because we know *so little* about his character. give me more on him, make me understand.

since james earl jones is getting older, vader sounds older. was there??? nothing the audio or editing department could have done about that??? not super mad about this one just because darth vader is really cool and i’ll never really complain too much about darth vader screen time.

when the fuck did jyn become a motivational speaker??

my one gripe about pretty much every star wars movie is the sheer number of times people climb through huge shafts and jump around and shit and they’re always *fine*. no way they wouldn’t fall to their deaths in any normal situations.

can someone?? check the science of the hammerhead corvette?? because there’s no gravity or weight in space right?? theoretically all you gotta do is give that star destroyer a bump and it’s spinning out, right?? i know absolutely nothing about space physics but i gotta be right. maybe i’m wrong. i dunno. i’m dumb as rocks. hear that baby girl?? it’s the spare change rattling around in my skull. i got pennies where my brain is.

absolutely no fucking shot cassian survived a blaster hit AND that fall AND climbed out. my belief simply cannot be suspended that much.

DUDE I FORGOT THAT THE DEATH STAR CAN TRAVEL THROUGH HYPERSPACE HOW DOES WORK SOMEONE TELL ME!!!!!

why doesn’t vader just,,, force grab the plans. i know he sees them. why not just force stop the guy running away with them??

final note now that the movie is over. yes, it’s got a lot of issues. the plot is ehhh at times. the trailers don’t match up with the movie shots AT ALL (i wanna know what happened behind the scenes with that). the character development is lacking in many major ways (that has not stopped me from loving these characters though, but that’s the autism talking). but like i’ll say in the "stuff i liked" section, this is such a damn cool movie. i was once talking about it with an older friend of mine and he said seeing rogue one in theaters felt like watching the original trilogy in theaters back in the 70s and 80s and honestly that’s such a compliment. i love this movie, i really do.

just cool shit,,, you know the vibe

DEATH TROOPERS

krennic is probably one of my favorite imperial officers. for some reason he just really sells it for me, the evil and manipulation that borderlines in try hard. and (i mention it more later because you see it more in the "choke on your aspirations" scene) beyond that just the fact that he’s?? a guy. just a dude. at any given moment he could be described as just hanging out. but he’s trying so hard (for whatever reason, we don’t know his evil motivations) to be this big bad evil dude. and it’s just interesting to see someone *trying* to be imperial and *trying* to be evil, as opposed to a tarkin-type character who’s just naturally an asshole.

i love the rogue one main theme. don’t even talk to me. it’s so cool.

it’s cool to see more about the birth of the death star, seeing other people learn about it. sort of realizing the fear and terror that everyone must have been experiencing. especially after being a star wars fan for so long and being like, yeah it’s the death star it’s just a staple of this universe. it reminds me that "oh god this was a planet killer and this was the first time something like that had ever even been heard of".

there’s gorgeous visuals in this movie.

i like the "i’m wanted in 12 systems" guy cameo (did you know his name is cornelius? i googled it)

when the storm trooper asks for papers?? like fuck yeah show me what life is like under imperial rule. give me that shit.

chirrut is so badass i’ll never get over it

"i’m one with the force and the force is with me" i’m eating that shit UP! salivating over the meal in front of me. i really want more exploration of the guardians and jedi worship in general. like gimme that weird funky space religion.

seeing an at-st just walk around a town. i dunno i like that shit.

K2 saying sorry for hitting cassian. i’m so soft on this robot.

"clear of hostiles,,,, ONE HOSTILE"

jyn stepping in front of K2 to protect him after she (not ten minutes ago) made the comment “i’m just afraid they’ll miss you and hit me”. jyn,,, your soft side is showing,,,,

i like the cool machine blaster that baze has. it’s awesome seeing different blaster styles when originally the only variation we really saw was chewie’s cross bow style blaster.

i really wanna see more of baze and cirruit. i wanna know what happened that made baze stop believing. i wanna know how they met. i wanna see them evolve and grow together.

i like that jyn argues that 16 is too young to be a solider (she’s 21 in the movie). i like that she’s mad that she’s young and has been put in a position to protect herself and then later save the galaxy. (for context: luke and leia were 19 in a new hope. anakin is 19 in attack of the clones, ~22 when he became darth vader, and rey is 19 in force awakens. stop putting the fate of the galaxy in the hands of people who are *barely* adults)

the testing of the death star is awesome. love seeing wicked cool space weapons. when it blocks out the sun? ominous as hell fuck yeah.

it’s interesting that baze says cassian doesn’t look like a killer, that "he has the face of a friend", when one of the first things we saw him do was kill a man. i think about that a lot. does that say more about baze’s ability to read people or does it say more about who cassian is deep down, beyond what he’s done to serve the rebellion?

cassian’s relationship with death and killing is very interesting. you could argue that cassian is just as brainwashed and deep in the rebellion as anyone imperial. i really hope it’s something that gets explored in his stand alone show. he mentions he’s lost everything and has been a rebel since he was 6. gimme cassian andor backstory.

"careful not to choke on your aspirations director" is probably some of the most dramatic-anakin-skywalker shit i’ve ever seen vader do

i like seeing rebel infighting. so often it seems there’s always general consensus about what the rebellion wants, but it’s good to see that they don’t always agree on how to rebel.

i love the consistent "found family" rebel alliance shit in these movies. it makes my dick so hard.

ARTOO AND THREEPIO CAMEO FUCK ME UP THOSE ARE MY BOYS

okay i totally get that the empire is evil, i really do, but rogue one (and lots of moments in the sequels) really reminds me how fucking cool some of their shit is. like death troopers? imperial droids like K2? the base on scarif? vader’s castle on mustafar and his bacta tank?? fuck me UP.

i loved hearing the troopers doing their dumb small talk about the T-15s on the beach.

i think ben mendelssohn is perfect for the role of krennic, no notes there. he’s just like?? a guy and he’s doing everything he can to fit into this evil role and he just wants to be like this big bad imperial boy on campus. i don’t know. i don’t have the words right now to express how fuckin awesome he is. i’ll write an essay about it later.

THE AT-AT COMING OUT OF THE MIST?? CHRIST ON A BIKE. LAY ME TO REST. LOVE IT.

fucking love me some female fighter pilots. the women of star wars are so badass. doing justice to my return of the jedi ladies.

i think a whole lot about jyn giving K2 a blaster. the way he takes it and looks at it and holds it so gently. i think that’s the first time a human has trusted him with a blaster since his reprogramming. he seems so appreciative of that trust.

i love seeing the faces of baze and the other rebels when a few of the x-wings show up and take down an at-at. i’m so very soft for the relationship between these rebels. not to be cliche, but the *hope* that they have. it’s so moving. this movie is just so full of that quintessential rebel feeling.

hey so i’m super emotional about the death of K2 okay? because in the novelizations you learn that in the last second k2 had before a full shut down, he ran a simulation where cassian lived and even though he knew it was impossible, it made him happy. FURTHERMORE K2 is very well known and his name is often listed along side jyn’s in terms of talking about the history of the rebellion.

chirrut and baze’s deaths are so important to me. we know they’re best friends, and even though we don’t know how long they’ve been together, they love each other so deeply. chirrut being the path for baze to return to the force? touching. i so wish these dumb force husbands could have had more screen time. baze calling chirrut back?? chirrut telling him to find him in the force?? baze looking to see the man he loves one more time before he dies??reminds me of the silken quote about dying in your best friends arms because it’s all you know. anywho,,, if star wars canon has any mercy then these two lovers are force ghosts together rn. don’t care how you feel or whether you "ship" them or not. love comes in so many forms and they encompass all that love.

terribly sorry but i think about those two star destroyers colliding with the rogue one main theme playing over it every day. it’s,,,,, so,,,, ( ´∀｀)

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again BEN MENDELSSOHN??? UH YEAH

krennic watching his weapon (his beautiful, successful weapon) power up and kill him,,, the poetic justice of it all,,,,

any time anyone says "may the force be with you" i dunno maybe it’s my religious trauma but i’m head over heels for that good shit

the star destroyer coming out of hyper space as the rebels are escaping and some of the ships hit the destroyer?? one of my favorite things in the new star wars movies is directors and writers saying "oh this can totally happen" and they DO IT

jyn mentioning earlier in the film that she isn’t used to people sticking around when shit hits the fan and then dying in the arms of cassian?? because he stayed?? and for the first time she has someone??

in that same vein: cassian also says earlier in the film that he lost everything too. his connection with jyn is also important to him, just as important as it is to jyn. they need each other. i can’t remember who on this hellsite said it, but someone mentioned that they hope the stand alone cassian stuff coming out doesn’t make him this swindling playboy who fucks around a bunch. i think having him as more of like?? a mandolorian type character would be really cool. like he’s a rebel assassin: make him one. make him independent and badass and cool and DONT give him a bunch of romantic or sexual interests because then that downplays the clear love he had developing for jyn. again LOVE COMES IN FORMS BEYOND BASIC SHIPS. and there’s a lot of love in star wars.

i’ve said it a million times but vader is so cool and over and over again this movie reminded me that he’s actually so scary. i saw star wars for the first time when i was 6 and i can’t remember my initial reaction to him, but i’ve definitely (like with the death star) been desensitized to the fact that if i was in star wars, darth vader would scare the shit out of me. he’s *scary* and that’s cool. i liked seeing vader effortlessly go fucking mad on these rebels. then you understand why they were so scared in that first scene of a new hope.

no i absolutely will not get over the vader scene. i won’t. his saber turning on. his force abilities. his effortless lightsaber work. the choral music over the scene with the hectic orchestra. don’t touch me i’m emotional.

i loved seeing leia. it touches me so deeply every time.

fuck i love this movie despite all its faults.

if you’ve made it this far, thank you!! i hope you enjoyed. please remember that this is totally a safe space for all star wars opinions and you can feel free to disagree with me! i’d love to hear what some of you thought :))

[andorerso]

If you're still taking prompts for rebelcaptain, how about “Are you trying to seduce me?” - “Depends. Are you seducible?”

Here you go, anon, more modern AUs! Hope you enjoy :)

It starts with a stupid coffee stain. Bodhi trips on a piece of fabric on the floor (that Jyn might have left lying around and Cassian might have asked her to put away), spilling the hot contents of his mug right onto Cassian’s chest. Jyn watches in sympathy as Cassian yelps in pain, hurrying to get rid of his drenched shirt. Bodhi, amidst a slew of apologies, brings him napkins to wipe his chest, and as the laughter dies down from Han and Kes, Jyn notices that Cassian is… surprisingly fit.

It’s not something you would have noticed with his shirt on, being as lean as he is. But he has some abs and looking at them, she idly remembers that he does go to the gym every week. Clearly, it’s worked to his benefit. She knows she should stop ogling – this is her roommate for Christ’s sake – but as her eyes slip lower to the trail of hair disappearing into his pants, her mouth goes dry. Oh shit. Since when is Cassian so hot?

Don’t think about it, don’t think about him naked, don’t think about him sweaty and naked, do not –

“Alright, Andor,” Shara says, snapping Jyn back to reality, “put a shirt back on, nobody wants to see all that.”

“Apparently, Erso does,” Han says, looking her way with a smirk.

Jyn chokes on her own coffee, giving Han the nastiest stink eye that she’s capable of.

“What? No, I don’t,” she protests, but her voice sounds a bit high even to her own ears. Terrific. Now everyone’s going to think she has the hots for Cassian.

And she doesn’t.

But she can’t look into his eyes for the rest of the night.

It keeps happening after that. Cassian stepping out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist, Jyn blinking after him in bewilderment. Cassian making coffee in the morning, in his pajama pants and shirtless, Jyn trying to act normal as she accepts a mug from him.

Then, on a sizzling July afternoon, Cassian sitting on a couch shirtless, going through his papers when Jyn gets home.

It’s the last straw. She’s had enough confusing dreams as it is, filled with various levels of a naked Cassian, and if he’s pulling a prank on her after finding her ogling amusing, then two can play that game.

“It’s hot,” Cassian answers her unspoken question as she stares at him expectantly.

Jyn nods.

“Yeah, it is,” she agrees, then promptly pulls off her shirt and plops down on the armchair. She does not look at Cassian, choosing to stare at the wall instead like she’s deep in thought, but she can see him looking at her from her peripheral vision. Her plain white bra is nothing special, but she feels confident enough in her body that she’s not self-conscious about him looking at her.

Well, not too much. She just strangely, stupidly wants him to find her attractive too.

Cassian clears his throat.

“We should get an AC,” he says at last after he’s gathered his composure. She chances a glance at him, noting the slight flush of his cheeks that makes her feel smug as a Cheshire cat. It’s obvious he didn’t expect her to strike back, but enough is enough. If he wants to be a tease, he’ll have to put up with her first.

Determined to get a bigger reaction out of him, she stands up and heads to the kitchen to wet a dishtowel. When she reclaims her seat on the armchair, she puts the towel around her neck, squeezing it to let the cold water cascade down her chest. She has to admit, it does feel nice in this heat. It’s also nice to see Cassian’s eyes go wide as saucers.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s hot,” she says, throwing his own excuse back at him. Then she holds out the towel towards him. “Do you want it?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

“It’s really nice,” she insists.

Standing up, she crosses the room to him, ignoring his surprised yelp when she puts the towel on his chest.

“See? It’s refreshing.”

Jyn leans down to dab the towel across his chest, ignoring her own racing heart. This is a double-edged sword, it seems. But it’s working on him too, eyes dark and sitting ramrod still. When he tilts his head up, their faces are so close that she can feel his breath on her cheek.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” he asks, voice hoarse as she’s practically straddling his lap.

“Have you been trying to seduce me?” Jyn counters. She has a good idea about the answer now, but she can’t make a move until he confirms it.

“Depends.” He quirks an eyebrow. “Are you seducible?”

A grin forms on Jyn’s face, and instead of answering him with words, she kisses him. She’s pretty seducible indeed.

[jangofctts]

Between Everything and Nothing (Cassian Andor x Reader)

Rated: Explicit

Word Count: 3.2K

Summary: It's hard to keep your chin up when it seems like everything is falling apart. You're plagued by constant nightmares, but you have Cassian and Cassian has you. It's enough.

Warnings: Smut (duh), language, mad dirty talk, oral sex female receiving, bunch of Cassian love over here

You'd been crying again. Or plagued by nightmares. Maybe both.

Dark swatches lingered like bruises beneath your red rimmed eyes that vacantly stared at your plate. Your fork trailed through the rations absentmindedly, your mouth pressed into an unusual frown. Cassian used to despise your playful quips and teasing chuckles, the man much more used to silence and his own thoughts than someone like you.

Now, though, as the metal tongs of your cutlery scraped against the plate for the hundredth time, he abruptly realized how much he hated your silence. It wasn't right—unnatural and off-putting.

He said your name, the first attempt at catching your attention flying right over your head. The second time your eyes, such curious and bright eyes, fluttered and shot up to meet his. The roguish grin that followed after tugged at something deep inside his chest.

"Hey—sorry," you hummed. "What was that?"

Cassian shook his head. "You need to eat."

"This stuff?" You laughed, scooping up the mush and letting it drip off your fork. It tasted as bad as it looked. "I'd rather get shipped off permanently to droid maintenance."

"That can be arranged," he quipped. "I would finally get some peace and quiet."

"Ha. Ha." You said, rolling you eyes. "You couldn't last a day without missing me, Captain Andor."

He hates that you're right.

"Just eat."

With a grumble you shovel a mouthful in and stick your tongue out.

                                                           -=-

He catches you this time.

His own nightmares had clawed their way to the surface and ripped away precious sleep. He'd wandered to the hangar, feet carrying him towards his U-Wing in hopes he'd be able to find something to tinker with. Though it was a long shot. You were the best damn mechanic he'd ever encountered and Cassian would bet money that his ship could fly better than any fighter ship in the Alliance thanks to you.

He only hears something when he's halfway up the loading ramp, choked sobs and the occasional sniff of someone in the cockpit of his ship. He draws his blaster and rounds the corner. Shoot first and ask questions later.

Cassian freezes once he recognizes those stupid slipper things you'd won off some poor bastard in Sabaac and the ratty old tank top you refused to throw away.

You were curled into his seat, knees drawn up so closely to your chest that it hides your face as your shoulders shake from the force of your tears.

His instincts screamed at him to run. Leave before she notices.  Leave and pretend she's ok.

Yet, at the same time, a deep ache settles within his chest to see you like this. He wants to reach out. Wants to slip his fingers through your hair and cradle you to his chest and pretend for just a moment that nothing but you two existed.

He must've made some sort of sound because before he gets to decide to flee or face you, you look up.

"Cassian?" You sniff, your voice hoarse and wobbly as you wipe at your tears. "What-what are you doing here?"

He takes a step closer. "This is my ship."

"Oh. Yeah." You choke out with a broken half smile. "I guess it is."

You unfurl yourself from the seat, using your forearm to frantically scrub at the stray beads and try to hurry past him with a whispered goodnight. He's fast enough to catch your arm.

His slender fingers are warm against your bare skin, his calloused thumb skittering over smooth flesh and hard muscle. The urge to trail his entire palm up and down the expanse of your arm is torturous and he wonders if you've always been this soft.

You're looking up at him now, the emergency lights casting your features in a haunting red glow. Cassian can still see your eyes in the near darkness, something dark and vulnerable eating away at the edges. He parts his mouth to say something, ask what's wrong, but he can't seem to get the words out. He falters and drops your arm.

"Cassian," you say, much softer than he's ever heard it from you. It makes his heart flutter like a caged bird.  "I—"

"You can stay." He cuts you off, something snarling in his stomach at the thought of you leaving. "I don't mind."

Your brows crease and you study the floor and when you look up again, your face is fixed with another goofy grin. It doesn't quite reach your eyes and if Cassian didn't know you as well as he did, it would have him fooled.

"Thanks," you sniff, backtracking towards the ramp so suddenly it jars him. "Didn't mean to cry all over your chair. Pretty gross, huh?"

He follows and murmurs your name as you step onto the duracrete. This time as Cassian moves to grab your arm again you evade him. He's scrambling for words to keep you here, but nothing springs to mind and you escape.

"Night, Cass." You say, offering him a half hearted salute. "See ya tomorrow."

You disappear behind an X-Wing and Cassian regrets not following.

                                                            -=-

The third time is after after the Alliance had been hit hard. Hard enough that you lose more than a handful of friends. You don't grieve openly. You can't.

You were a beacon of light and warmth for many and letting them see the fissures in your resolve would surely cause spirits to plummet even further. Cassian doesn't know wether to feel lucky that he knows that half of yourself you hide away or devastated that even someone with a soul brighter than any star could be worn down to the very bones of their existence.

He wants to laugh when someone knocks on his door. It was the first time in months he'd been able to sleep with little difficulty and now he's being called upon in the middle of the night.

He throws open the door, ready to snarl at the poor soul who stood on the other side. Cassian's irritation melts away when he sees you. You look as tired as he feels, your hair a bit of a mess from a sleepless night, and yet, you're still so beautiful.

Your teeth clamp down on your bottom lip and he can't help but trace your mouth.

"Did I wake you up?" You ask, fiddling with your sleeve. You're nervous for once and Cassian worries.

"No." He lies.

A long pause ensues as you struggle for words that normally flow like a river from your lips. You start to say something and it fizzles out then comes out backwards or jumbled or too quiet for Cassian to understand. "You know—I should, uh, I should go. Yeah, I'm gonna leave. Sorry about—about bothering you."

You're quick to turn on your heel, but he's quicker and snatches your hand. He doesn't tell you how perfectly your fingers fit into his, but you must know. Right?

"Stay," he whispers, the word sounding much too loud compared to the hauntingly silent hallway. He takes your silence for fear or embarrassment, but he realizes it is surprise and a moment later he's stepping aside to let you in.    

Cassian retreats back to his bed, sheets still warm and sits down. Your eyes are scanning the room, studying the sparse walls and the unfolded pile of laundry abandoned on his only chair. You've been to his quarters before, usually only to get him to go with you to the cantina or keep you company while you work on his ship.

It's different now. Tension thick enough to cut with a lightsaber.

"I'm assuming you're not here to tell me you got caught cheating in Sabaac again, yes?" He tries to joke. It does the trick and you visibly relax with a chuckle.

You wander over to where he pats the space beside him and you crash onto the mattress, bumping your shoulder into his. His heart skips a beat when you don't lean away. "Nah. And if it weren't for me cheating, your sorry ass would still be in that stupid jail."

Ah, that's right.

Cassian snorts. "I had it handled."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did," you retort.

With a sigh, you lean back until you're spread out over his blankets, your legs hanging off the edge. Cassian lies down too and stares at the uneven texture of the ceiling. You say nothing for the better half of ten minutes, and Cassian wonders if you'd fallen asleep. He turns and you've got that vacant stare where you're lost in your head. It gives him an excuse to study the soft planes of your face, your plush lips slightly pursed in thought as your brows furrow. A stray hair covers your forehead and he wants to brush it away.

His heart pounds at his ribcage and with a brief moment of courage, he does so. You blink and look at him, a fragile smile tugging at the corners of your mouth.

He finds the words that escaped him in his ship all those nights ago and he asks you why you're here. Are you alright?

Your grin falters and you look away. Your fingers graze against his knuckles and they twitch into your touch but makes no move to fully encompass your hand.

Your words come out slow and soft and his chest tightens. "You—You are the only thing that makes sense to me, Cassian."

He understands and his fingers curl around yours to show that he does. Your breath stutters and you give him a squeeze.

Stray tears trail down your cheek and Cassian props himself onto an elbow. You avoid his gaze. "Look at me."

You listen and with baited breath he cups your face and gently swipes at a tear with his thumb. You mouth his name and he's leaning into you until he's pressing his lips to yours. You melt underneath his kiss, your hand curling into his hair, the other one still tangled with his. Your touch is intoxicating and Cassian deepens the kiss, tongue trailing across your bottom lip. Your mouth opens and his tongue slides along yours.

You part and he rests his forehead on yours as your fingers caress his stubbled cheek. He suppresses a shiver and leans into your touch. "I've wanted to do that for ages."

"Yeah, me too."

He kisses you again, but it's more than that. You're the undertow of a raging sea, sweeping him into your depths and holding him captive until he can't breath. Yet, you're the only thing he can inhale. He could drown in your scent, in your kisses, in your love, and he doesn't care if it kills him. You make a sound low in your throat as he licks deep into your mouth and he doesn't care if your teeth click together because he's desperate and aching for you.

You bite his bottom lip and tug, paired with your hand giving the soft tufts of hair on the back of his neck a gentle yank and he's so fucking gone. He's already half-hard against your hip, he knows you can feel it because you're flashing him a coy smirk and trailing your fingers down the planes of his chest, over his naval and then you're unbuckling his belt. Your fingers hover over his waistband, drawing teasing circles above where he needs you and his patience snaps. He captures your hand and grinds against you and you finally relent

He sucks in a breath like you've punched him in the jaw as your fingers wriggle underneath the fabric and wrap around his cock, thick and hot. You give him a few gentle strokes and then your thumb sweeps over the tip, collecting the bead of moisture there. You lightly scrape your nail across the frenulum and it nearly sends him over the edge and he rips himself away from you. It's embarrassing how fast you bring him towards release and he shouldn't care with you, but he wants this to last.

You sit up as your face contorts and he doesn't mean to hurt your feelings. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, never," he breaths, leaning forward to kiss away your frown. "I liked that a little too much."

You mouth forms a silent 'oh' and you take this little break to pull off your shirt and your pants that end up crumpled on the floor. You're naked and you look like a damn fantasy curled over his bed. His bed. Maker how many times has he imagined this exact moment?

Cassian rips his own clothes off and he's tugging your thighs around his narrow waist so he can mold himself onto you. He plants his lips over the pulse on your throat and he digs his teeth into your flesh, marking the delicate skin there. You whine, huff out his name, and he releases the bruised skin. He presses a kiss against it, likes the way it stands out, and he continues to tongue and nibble over the column of your throat that you readily expose for him until there's a trail of marks left behind.

Soft, fragile sounds are pouring out of your mouth and he wishes he could save them for an eternity. He mouths over your collarbone and trails on hand up to your breast and he pulls back to admire your heaving chest. A tiny smile is etched across your lips and his heart swells so much that his chest aches. "You're beautiful."

He doesn't think he's ever seen you blush. "Shut up."

"You are," he whispers, leaning forward to press a kiss over your sternum. "You're--fuck--so distracting. Nearly--nearly crashed the ship that one time. Remember?"

You dig your fingers into his back, leaving half-moon shapes behind as he brushes his thumb over your peaked nipple, as you whine out a response. With his tongue he swirls teasing circles around the other nipple and when he sucks it between his lips and bites down carefully, you moan and arch into him. He rolls the other one firmly between his forefinger and thumb, your eyes snapping shut.

"I can hardly stand it when you smile at me," he growls, engulfing the entirety of you breast in his warm palm. He gives the flesh a squeeze. "Shit--I love you."

He barely realizes he's told you and it's not as terrifying as he thought it would be. There is some uncertainty but when you open your eyes and flash him a smile so bright and big he thinks his heart might finally explode, all his doubts are blown away. You drag Cassian back to your lips by the jaw and he feels your bottom lip catch against his as you tell him you love him too.

"Will you...will you let me taste you?" He groans, breaking away to bury his nose into your hair. "Please? I've been--been imagining what you--shit-- taste like. I bet--bet you taste good."

"Cassian," you whine, bucking your hips. His cock is throbbing against your hip, harder than reinforced steel but all he can think about is getting his mouth on the dripping wetness between your legs. "Yes. Yes."

He sweeps down your torso, drunk on your skin and suckles another hickey over the protrusion of your hip bone. Cassian hooks your legs over his shoulders and nuzzles his stubble along the velvety skin feeling oh so lucky when you giggle and slip your hands into his hair. Your laugh tapers off into a desperate sigh as he uses just the tip of his forefinger to slip through your slit, the digit coming away shiny with your arousal. He parts your legs wider and finally swipes his tongue over your clit, moaning as he finally gets to taste you.

His mouth his searing hot and his tongue feels like silk as he swipes it over your lips, suckles at your labia and licks back up to your clit. He traces patterns across it, the tip of tongue catching so deliciously and then he dips back down again. You shudder as his thumbs slide up to gently part your cunt and his tongue leaves a burning trail until he reaches your opening. He has to throw an arm over your hips to keep you from squirming so much, and Maker, you feel Cassian smile before he licks as far into you as he can.

You're burning, broken pleas and drawn out moans of his name pouring out of you. And then, any kind of rational thinking is completely thrown out the fucking window as two of his slender fingers sink into your cunt. They curl inside you, brush against something electrifying, and you can't be bothered to be embarrassed about the keening moan that's much too loud for this time of night. It feels too good. You bite your lip and clench a handful of his hair, the vibration of his groan adding on to the pleasure of him sucking at your clit while his fingers slowly begin to drag in and out of you.

He pulls away for a moment, his hot breath fanning over your cunt and you want to cry out in frustration. Your core clenches around his digits at the loss of his tongue and you try to pull him back to you. "Please."

With his free hand, he rubs your thigh and kisses the inside of your knee. "Can I make you cum like this? Let...let you--shit--let you finish over my tongue? You'll look so pretty for me."

You don't know how it's possible to be even more turned on than you are, but it happens and you can feel yourself dripping on to his fingers and leaking over the sheets. His fingers are curling and twisting into something that's got your thighs shaking and fuck. A few more passes of his tongue over your swollen clit and another well placed thrust of his fingers--you're fucking gone.  

You arch your back as everything below your waist is set on fire. The tension in your stomach--wound tighter than a fucking spool of wire--snaps and blinding light flashes across your vision. Your core clamps down on his calloused digits and you cum into his mouth, a flood of wetness staining his mouth that continues to lick you through it. He's moaning and hooking his hands under your ass to pull you closer as you twitch and shake--your brain lost somewhere between chaos and unsurmountable pleasure.

Things feel as if they're in slow-motion as you slowly come back down to reality. Cassian pulls away from your core, wipes at his mouth that's covered with your slick, and slips his body next to your flushed and panting one. He draws shapes and swirls into the space right below your breast and nuzzles into the crook of your neck. He's whispering about how good you were for him, how soft and warm, and wet around his fingers you were and when you're finally able to process and organize your scattered thoughts, he's dragging you into an open mouthed kiss.

You can taste yourself on him and he grinds his cock against the swell of your hip, leaking precum that dribbles onto your skin. He bites at your shoulder, another bolt of arousal shooting through your belly.

"Let me make you feel good."